medieval Europe

Volcanic eruptions may have brought Black Death to Europe, say new study

Study says volcanic eruptions in 1345 caused temperatures to drop, leading to crop failure and causing famine
This led Italy to have ships bring grain from central Asia, where the bubonic plague is thought to have first emerged
The plague killed tens of millions of people and wiped out up to 60 percent of the population in parts of Europe

By AFP · 06 December 2025