The influence of volcanoes on Scotland's landscape and politics.
(Above image is a capture of the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh) Today's U.K. General Election combined with reports of a volcanic explosion in New Zealand coincide with a report in yesterday's Times newspaper of the bizarre linkage between the existence of Scotland as a unitary state and distant volcanic activity. A recent report by Rosanne D'Arrigo of Columbia University points out that: Scotland suffered cruel conditions in the 1690s including extensive famine which was due to a combination of archaic farming practices and the coldest weather conditions in the past 800 years. The cold weather is attributed to sulphurous clouds blocking the sun, cooling the climate and disrupting the weather. The triggers for the weather disruption are assigned to two volcanic eruptions which occurred in the tropics (far a...