Civilization as Experientation

Civilization is an experiment. Civilizations died out, often every quickly where the people seemed to have no understanding of the problem they faced. What was going throught the heads of the Easter island people as they cut the last tree down? Do we have a last tree? Will we know when we cut it down? Have we cut it down already? Is it possible that progress in genetics and material sciences will enable us to break the cycle of the rise and fall of civilizations? What part with culture play?