New research into subfossilized oak trees found in Irish peat bogs has provided definitive evidence of a global volcanic winter that occurred in 2300 BCE. The study, led by the Queen's University Belfast, used high-resolution dendrochronology to identify a decade of stunted growth caused by atmospheric ash blocking sunlight.
This environmental catastrophe aligns with the sudden abandonment of several Bronze Age settlements across Northern Europe. The data offers critical insights into how ancient societies responded to abrupt climate cooling and highlights the vulnerability of early agricultural systems to volcanic activity.