3 Reasons 536 Was the Worst Year in Human History When Mount St. Helens erupted in 1980, it poured so much dust into the sky that the sun over Eastern Washington went dark. Ash drifted overhead, traveling into neighboring Idaho and forcing temperatures down by as much as 15 degrees F. Locals spent a few weeks scared and shivering under dull skies. They had no way of knowing it, but they were experiencing a tiny fraction of the horror humans felt back in 536 — a time that Harvard University historian Michael McCormick once called “the worst year to be alive.” For decades, the year 536 was a historical mystery. Records showed that it was a terrible time, stricken by the triple threat of: 1. Unexplained, unending darkness 2. Unseasonably frigid weather 3. Crop failures and famines Those horrors and the economic and political instability they brought ravaged the globe from Ireland to China. Although 536 was arguably the worst year, things didn’t get better for more than a decade. In fact, they got worse in some areas! In 541, the Plague of Justinian — the first bubonic plague pandemic — appeared in Egypt and spread through Europe, killing roughly one-third of the continent’s population. For decades, archaeologists and historians have puzzled over the tipping point in 536. “What went wrong,” they wondered, “to make the sun go dark and trigger snow in summer?” It was a head-scratcher until 2018. That year, researchers finally solved the mystery with help from, of all things, a Swiss glacier! The glacial ice was riddled with volcanic glass. Further study revealed enormous volcanic eruptions in 536, 540, and 547 likely caused “The Dark Ages.” It wasn’t just metaphorically dark — it was literally dark thanks to ash blotting out the sun and coating people’s homes, skin, and clothing. Scientists have traced the 540 eruption to Ilopango, a volcano in El Salvador that’s currently inactive, but they’re still hunting for the source of the 536 eruption. As we write this, volcanoes in Iceland and Alaska are the most likely candidates.
Get a Jumpstart to Win Our Annual Thanksgiving Giveaway It’s that time of year again: Our Thanksgiving Turkey Giveaway is back! As is tradition, we’re giving away THREE free turkeys to families like yours this season. Hopefully, a free bird will make hosting Thanksgiving a little easier and cheaper. This year, we’re also doing something new: We’re opening our contest early so you have a chance to send in your winning entry before the holiday craziness starts! To enter, we ask that you share three things you’re grateful for this year , one for each turkey in the giveaway. You can put your name in the hat by texting your thankful list to 210-756-5399 or scanning the QR code on this page. Just make sure you do it before Sunday, Nov. 19 (the earlier, the better)! You can also invite your friends and family to enter by sharing this newsletter with them. Everyone is welcome. Once you send in your entry, keep an eye on your phone, your email, and our Facebook page for an announcement of the winners. We’ll draw names on Monday, Nov. 20, and work with you to ensure you get your turkey by Thanksgiving. THE EARLY BIRD GETS THE TURKEY!
You can find us on Facebook at Facebook.com/ThePackardLawFirm .
We’ve hosted this Thanksgiving contest in our newsletter for two years now, and it’s one of our favorite annual traditions. Nothing
makes us happier than scrolling through our texts and emails to read the things you’re grateful for. When you send in your message, feel free to be as traditional or creative as you want. Whether you’re thankful for your cat or relieved your daughter has grown out of her terrible twos, we’d love to hear about it!
We’ve already survived a pandemic this century, so for everyone’s sake, let’s hope both regions stay quiet until at least 2100. We all deserve a break!
Remember, when you’re ready to enter, text your gratitude list to 210-756- 5399 or scan the QR code on this page. Our whole firm could use a pick-me- up right now, so we can’t wait to hear from you.
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