by J. Chadwick, Dec 31, 2024 in ClimateChangeDispatch
It’s been nearly 200 years since a global cold snap led to widespread crop failures and devastating famines. [emphasis, links added]
Now, a new study by scientists at the University of St Andrews finally pinpoints the cause.
The Zavaritskii volcano on the remote, uninhabited Russian island of Simushir, part of the Kuril Islands, erupted in 1831, the experts reveal.
The dramatic event injected volcanic ash into the atmosphere, blocking enough sunlight to induce a brief global cooling period.
The resulting change in weather included reduced rainfall from Africa and India to Japan, causing major famine due to poor crop yields.
‘While scientists have long known that a really big eruption went off in 1831, the source has remained a mystery,’ lead study author Dr Will Hutchison told MailOnline.
