Black ice.(Black Death )(Brief article)

History Today, May, 2006

Researchers from Utrecht University believe the Black Death caused Europe's temperatures to fall. The team estimated that the Black Death would have caused an agricultural crisis, as trees flourished on land no longer being cultivated. Tests on pollen and leaves in the southeast Netherlands suggest these millions of trees would have absorbed carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, producing a cooling effect in the next few centuries.

This minor 'Ice Age' in European history lasted for around 300 years from 1500. The research is published in the journal 'Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology.' (February 28th).