Tree Ring Science Is Telling Scientists About Climate Change


The science of studying tree rings is expanding rapidly. More scientists are being added and locations where samples are being collected is expanding. By taking samples from nearly all continents scientists can plot the historical pattern of the jet stream and the presence of volcanic ash. They also reveal large electrical storms. Today those storms are thought to have been severe enough to knock  service from today's satellites.

By studying ancient trees, even ones which died long ago but were preserved is certain climates, the history of climate and the history of human migration can be understood. Perhaps the preference of certain religions over others will be revealed as well.

Religions come from cultures. A society's economics, how it makes a living, its housing and food supply is part of its culture. When the climate changes the livelihood of the culture may change. Its people may migrate. Of course there were other factors causing change such as domination by another group which was disliked. 

At some point in human's history, most of them stopped wondering about as hunters and gatherers and became farmers. My impression is the many gods they worshiped as hunters and gatherers were replaced with one-god religions. This certainly happened in the Middle East and spread to Europe. I will not be surprised if eventually weather patterns are shown to have influenced the popularity or unpopularity of some gods.

In more recent times, the 1500's, a volcanic eruption cooled the tropics, contributed to the decline of the Ottoman Empire and the fall of the Ming dynasty. Both the writings of Shakespeare and Queen Victoria lament the suffering from the cold.

Definitive information from trees will tell things about history we have not known before. 

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