The Black Death: How a Volcano Eruption in the 14th Century Triggered a Plague Pandemic.

According to ТСН: One of the darkest chapters in human history — the epidemic of bubonic plague, known as the Black Death, may have been triggered by a natural cataclysm we had not previously suspected. Recent research suggests that a chain of fatal events may have begun with the eruption of an unknown volcano in the mid-14th century.

The Lost Volcano and the 'Year Without a Sun'

Historian Martin Bauch and geographer Ulf Büntgen became interested in why the plague appeared in Italy in 1347. The answer was found through studies of glaciers and chronicles.

The researchers discovered that the ice caps at both poles contained high levels of sulfur, indicating a powerful volcanic eruption in the tropics around 1345. At the same time, historical chronicles from Europe and Asia mentioned unusual phenomena: a gloomy sun, constant clouds, and lunar eclipses. All these effects were the result of volcanic ash, which created a veil in the atmosphere that reflected sunlight.

How Climate Change Led to a Pandemic

This “butterfly effect” had catastrophic consequences. In the years 1345, 1346, and 1347, Europe experienced abnormally cold summers and rainy autumns. Crops failed, and Italy faced famine.

To save the population, Italian merchants were forced to seek grain in other regions and sent fleets to the Black Sea. It was from there that the ships brought not only the necessary food but also a deadly “cargo” — the bacterium Yersinia pestis.

Fatal Import

Scientists believe that the plague bacterium arrived along with fleas that settled in the grain dust on the ships. The first cases of the disease in Venice were recorded just a few weeks after the grain shipment arrived.

“This triggers the typical cycle of infection: first, rodents become infected, and when they die, fleas migrate to other mammals and ultimately to humans,” explained Martin Bauch.

Thus, the attempt to avert famine caused by the volcano opened the door to a pandemic that claimed the lives of 30% to 60% of the population of Europe in less than a decade.

It is also worth mentioning that recently the largest outbreak of chikungunya in 17 years struck China, where authorities deployed 'cannibal' mosquitoes and killer fish to stop the epidemic.

Research linking the epidemic of bubonic plague to natural cataclysms opens new horizons for the study of the history of diseases. It highlights that ecological changes can have far-reaching consequences, affecting not only natural systems but also the social structure of society.