Tambora: The Eruption. The Cold. The Year Without Summer.Episode 91:33
The Volcano Linked to the Bicycle
Tambora’s disruption reaches everyday transportation, creating an unexpected link between volcanic winter and the bicycle.
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Transcript
In July, snow fell across New England—during summer.
The chain began on Sumbawa, where Tambora stood among Indonesia’s tallest mountains.
Tambora grew restless in 1812, then rumbled again April 5th, 1815.
The Rajah of Sanggar said the mountain looked like liquid fire.
On April 10th, NASA calls Tambora’s eruption the largest in recorded history.
Pyroclastic flows erased villages, reached the sea, and triggered tsunamis.
Blast cut Tambora from 14,100 to under 10,000 feet.
Tambora's 60 megatons of sulfur cut sunlight, cooling the world into 1816.
Harvest failures spread across continents, food prices rose, and oats became expensive.
Expensive oats raised horse-travel costs, possibly inspiring Karl Drais to invent horse-free travel.
The eruption has been linked to the invention of the bicycle through a shortage of service animals.
Constant rain trapped Mary Shelley, Percy Shelley, and Lord Byron by Lake Geneva.
Back near Tambora, a Banyuwangi witness recorded darkness spreading through the afternoon.
The account said candles were needed by 1 p.m., pitch dark by 4 p.m.
As atmospheric particles fell out, sunshine returned, while Lord Byron wrote Darkness.
Where it leaves off
Inside a rainbound villa at Lake Geneva, the failed summer was about to create a monster.
Sources
- This Day In History: Mount Tambora Explosively Erupts in 1815 | NESDIS | National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Servicenesdis.noaa.govprimary
- Volcano Watch — Infamous Mount Tambora is rumbling again | U.S. Geological Surveyusgs.govprimary
- Mount Tambora Volcano, Sumbawa Island, Indonesia - NASA Sciencescience.nasa.govprimary
- Mount Tambora and the Year Without a Summer | Center for Science Educationscied.ucar.edusecondary
- VolcanicDegassing | The great eruption of Tambora, April 1815blogs.egu.euprimary
- New book tells the story of a little-known volcano’s global impact – News Bureaunews.illinois.edusecondary
- April 10, 1815: Mount Tambora blows up | Skulls in the Starsskullsinthestars.comprimary
- Climate Crisis and the 21st-Centurytile.loc.govsecondary
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