New Evidence Links Sixth-Century Cooling to Roman Empire’s Decline

Geological analysis of Greenlandic rocks in Iceland confirms ice-rafting during the Late Antique Little Ice Age, highlighting climate change’s role in societal upheavals.

• Recent research confirms that icebergs carried Greenlandic rocks to Iceland during the Late Antique Little Ice Age, providing direct evidence of climate-driven geological activity.
• The cooling period, triggered by three volcanic eruptions between 536AD and 547AD, caused significant global temperature drops and widespread environmental impacts.
• The study utilized zircon crystal analysis to trace the origins of the rocks, offering forensic-level proof of ice-rafting events in the North Atlantic during the seventh century.
• Researchers suggest the rapid climate cooling weakened the already declining Roman Empire, exacerbating crop failures, famine, and societal instability.
• The findings underscore the interconnectedness of climate systems and their profound influence on historical societal transformations across Europe and Asia.

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