New research suggests volcanic eruptions caused temperatures to drop for consecutive years due to the haze from volcanic ash and gases, which in turn had a knock on effect
All you need to know as Black Death plague may have been triggered by volcanic eruptions
- Volcanic Trigger Hypothesis: New research suggests that volcanic eruptions may have indirectly triggered the Black Death’s arrival in Europe. The resulting atmospheric haze from ash and gases caused consecutive years of temperature drops and severe climate shock.
- Climate and Agricultural Crisis: Researchers from the University of Cambridge and GWZO studied ancient tree rings, which confirmed a period of unusually cold and wet summers across Southern Europe. This abrupt climate change was catastrophic, leading to widespread crop failure and subsequent famine.
- Emergency Trade Routes: To avoid mass starvation following the crop failures, powerful Italian city-states utilised their efficient, long-distance trade networks. They began urgently importing large quantities of grain from the areas surrounding the Black Sea.
- Accidental Disease Vector: This critical grain importation inadvertently served as the vector for introducing the deadly plague to Europe. The shipments from Central Asia carried infected wild rodents and their plague-carrying fleas.
- The Pathogen and Origin: The Black Death was a bubonic plague pandemic caused by the bacterium known as Yersinia pestis . The disease is believed to have originated in Central Asia and spread around the world via established trade routes.
- Scale of the Pandemic: This devastating pandemic ravaged the European continent between 1346 and 1353. It resulted in the deaths of an estimated 50 million people, effectively wiping out approximately 60% of Europe’s population.
- Relevance to the Modern World: Scientists call the combination of a climate shock, famine, and trade a “perfect storm” that allowed the pandemic to emerge. This history serves as a modern caution about the likely increase of zoonotic diseases emerging in a globalised world, especially given the ongoing risks associated with climate change. Full story here
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