During the last few centuries, a few volcanoes have blasted their imprints onto human history. The June 1991 eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in the Philippines injected large amounts of ash and sulfur dioxide gas into the atmosphere, causing global temperatures to fall an estimated mean of 0.4 degrees Fahrenheit over two years. When the Indonesian volcano Krakatoa erupted in 1883, the explosion and resulting tsunamis killed 36,000 people. The eruption dropped global temperatures about one degree Fahrenheit and caused striking multi-colored sunsets around the world. One blood-red sunset likely inspired Norwegian painter Edvard Munch to create 'The Scream.' He wrote, "I sensed a great, infinite scream run through nature." Some Indonesian Muslims saw the eruption as a sign of God?s displeasure; this may have initiated a period of political unrest that historians say started the long movement for independence from Dutch rule. The larger Mount Tambora eruption rocked Indonesia in 1815, leading to the deaths of at least 71,000 people and extinguishing the Tambora language. The blast caused temperatures to fall about 1.3 degrees F, making 1816 the "year without a summer." The worst weather year in recorded European history led to crop failures that forced tens of thousands of people to emigrate to America. The cool weather also touched the world of literature. That summer, Mary Shelley and her husband were guests of Lord Byron at his home on Lake Geneva. Cold temperatures kept the group indoors, where they told stories. Mary Shelley?s yarns allegedly became the basis for her novel Frankenstein.
Enter your email address so NGC can remind you when next this show airs.
Terms & Conditions Please note that show times occasionally change. Always consult NGC's online TV schedule for the latest information. If you sign up to receive a mobile reminder, you are authorizing NGC program reminders to be sent to your mobile phone. You will only receive reminders for shows that you request. This is a free NGC service, but standard text messaging rates apply. NGC mobile program reminders are offered by the following carriers: Alltel, AT&T Wireless, Cingular Wireless, Nextel, Sprint PCS, T-Mobile®, Verizon Wireless. You can end this service anytime by texting STOP to 64288. If you have trouble using this feature, please email site comments to website@natgeochannel.com. NGC privacy policy
Your reminder has been created.
An error occured while trying to create your reminder. Please try again.
See our planet from a different angle.View PhotosEARTH FACTS:
Explore the world's top destinations.VISIT SITE
