Europe’s chill linked to disease.

Europe’s “Little Ice Age” may have been triggered by the 14th Century Black Death plague, according to a new study.
Pollen and leaf data support the idea that millions of trees sprang up on abandoned farmland, soaking up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
This would have had the effect of cooling the climate, a team from Utrecht University, Netherlands, says.
From BBC NEWS

This is a fascinating little theory. Although there are disagreements, it’s interesting to note a little lateral thought involved in interpreting the pollen count figures…