Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

How an Icelandic volcano helped spark the French Revolution
guardian.co.uk ^ | 4/15/10 | Greg Neale

Posted on 04/20/2010 4:55:46 PM PDT by Kartographer

Just over 200 years ago an Icelandic volcano erupted with catastrophic consequences for weather, agriculture and transport across the northern hemisphere – and helped trigger the French revolution.

The Laki volcanic fissure in southern Iceland erupted over an eight-month period from 8 June 1783 to February 1784, spewing lava and poisonous gases that devastated the island's agriculture, killing much of the livestock. It is estimated that perhapsa quarter of Iceland's population died through the ensuing famine.

Then, as now, there were more wide-ranging impacts. In Norway, the Netherlands, the British Isles, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, in North America and even Egypt, the Laki eruption had its consequences, as the haze of dust and sulphur particles thrown up by the volcano was carried over much of the northern hemisphere.

(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: catastrophism; cwiiping; godsgravesglyphs; iceland; laki; volcano
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-39 last
To: castlebrew; An Old Man

I was there too, a month or two later, and saw all sorts of fallen trees and deep layers of ash all over the place out in the woods.


21 posted on 04/21/2010 8:17:49 AM PDT by Still Thinking (Freedom is NOT a loophole!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: DuncanWaring
Time to start looking into what grows well (or ‘least poorly’) in cool, rainy weather.

Love them 'taters....

22 posted on 04/21/2010 8:41:13 AM PDT by thulldud (Is it "alter or abolish" time yet?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: thulldud

That’s one that comes to mind.

Got any references to a comparison of the relative merits of the different varieties (russet vs. red vs. yukon gold, etc)?

I’m thinking, in general, “does well in cool, wet, cloudy weather” AND “matures quickly” would be the proper avenues of pursuit.


23 posted on 04/21/2010 8:45:58 AM PDT by DuncanWaring (The Lord uses the good ones; the bad ones use the Lord.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: DuncanWaring

I love Yukon Golds, but they seem very prone to go bad in storage. Russets are hardier.


24 posted on 04/22/2010 2:41:19 PM PDT by thulldud (Is it "alter or abolish" time yet?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: thulldud

Sounds like the proper plan is to grow a few Yukon Golds and a lot of russets, and eat the Yukons first.


25 posted on 04/22/2010 2:45:20 PM PDT by DuncanWaring (The Lord uses the good ones; the bad ones use the Lord.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: DuncanWaring; Travis McGee
Time to start looking into what grows well (or ‘least poorly’) in cool, rainy weather.

Sprouts, in your kitchen. Stored rice and beans, along with various condiments to make it interesting, is highly nutritious.

I very seriously am happy to not be living in a Turd World country, because if this volcano keeps erupting, or if Katla goes, then there will be HUGE increases in the price of food...which can only mean famine in the Turd World, as all of us can pay for the food. It isn't like the world is the least bit practical in this modern age, and has stores of food to use in the event of widespread crop failures (caused by volcanoes and such).

I wonder if anyone in any position of power will actually learn something from this. Nah, it'll never happen.

26 posted on 04/22/2010 4:05:28 PM PDT by Ancesthntr (Tyrant: "Spartans, lay down your weapons." Free man: "Persian, come and get them!")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: Ancesthntr

The volcano seems to be calming down....for now.


27 posted on 04/22/2010 4:43:45 PM PDT by Travis McGee (---www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com---)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: GSP.FAN; StayAt HomeMother; Ernest_at_the_Beach; 1ofmanyfree; 21twelve; 240B; 24Karet; ...

· join list or digest · view topics · view or post blog · bookmark · post a topic · subscribe ·

 
Gods
Graves
Glyphs
Thanks GSP.FAN.

To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list.
GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother, and Ernest_at_the_Beach
 

·Dogpile · Archaeologica · LiveScience · Archaeology · Biblical Archaeology Society ·
· Discover · Nat Geographic · Texas AM Anthro News · Yahoo Anthro & Archaeo · Google ·
· The Archaeology Channel · Excerpt, or Link only? · cgk's list of ping lists ·


28 posted on 04/22/2010 6:16:38 PM PDT by SunkenCiv ("Fools learn from experience. I prefer to learn from the experience of others." -- Otto von Bismarck)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

iceland, volcano, and Eyjafjallajokull keywords, sorted chrono:
29 posted on 04/22/2010 6:31:16 PM PDT by SunkenCiv ("Fools learn from experience. I prefer to learn from the experience of others." -- Otto von Bismarck)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kartographer; SunkenCiv

Oh.
I thought they meant *right now*.


30 posted on 04/22/2010 7:15:33 PM PDT by Salamander (Hold onto to all your fears 'cuz when I get outta here....vengeance is mine, mine, mine!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DuncanWaring

I started looking into cold weather crops already.
Couple musk ox might work out too:)


31 posted on 04/22/2010 7:45:53 PM PDT by Cold Heart
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: Ancesthntr

We do not have the stores of food in this country we used to. No grain reserves at all.


32 posted on 04/22/2010 7:51:43 PM PDT by Cold Heart
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: Salamander

;’)


33 posted on 04/22/2010 7:52:05 PM PDT by SunkenCiv ("Fools learn from experience. I prefer to learn from the experience of others." -- Otto von Bismarck)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: Travis McGee

Nice of the volcano to give us a warning shot.


34 posted on 04/22/2010 7:53:52 PM PDT by Cold Heart
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: Travis McGee
I think it was in 1305 a huge famine hit Europe, leading to many reports of cannibalism.....
Again, it was report that the haze was such that their were no shadows.
35 posted on 04/22/2010 8:00:05 PM PDT by investigateworld (Abortion Stops A Beating Heart)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Ancesthntr; All

Since this kind of thing can happen periodically, we really need to think in terms of gradual, volutary reduction in the population of the earth, or else as you say millions will starve when the system breaks down from natural or man made catastrophe.


36 posted on 04/22/2010 10:02:27 PM PDT by gleeaikin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv
I just saw an episode of How The Earth Was Made on Iceland in which Laki was discussed. Look at the line of craters and lava that eruption left behind. It's enormous, like the Earth was ripped open in that part of the island.


37 posted on 04/23/2010 1:07:53 PM PDT by colorado tanker
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: colorado tanker

I see the “Image Hosted by tripod” crap image; even one of the images ON that page is the crap image, which is weird. :’) Thanks ct for the link:

http://laki-volcano.tripod.com/id3.html


38 posted on 04/23/2010 6:48:55 PM PDT by SunkenCiv ("Fools learn from experience. I prefer to learn from the experience of others." -- Otto von Bismarck)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies]


39 posted on 05/24/2015 10:01:16 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (What do we want? REGIME CHANGE! When do we want it? NOW!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-39 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson