Prompt Cast
The Black Death: A Devastating Plague in 14th Century Europe
TLDR The Black Death, a deadly plague in 14th century Europe, caused a decrease in CO2 levels and an increase in trees due to the significant decrease in population. It led to horrific scenes of corpses being eaten by dogs, the rise of heretical societies, and had a profound economic impact.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
The hosts of the podcast "Stuff You Should Know" discuss the Black Death and a study from Utrecht University that found a period of cold called the Little Ice Age in the 1500s, which may have been localized to Europe and caused by a lack of trees to absorb carbon dioxide.
04:05
The Black Death in the 14th century led to a decrease in CO2 levels and an increase in trees due to the significant decrease in population caused by the disease.
08:02
The Black Death caused a massive increase in deaths, resulting in bodies piling up and being left unburied, leading to a horrific scene of corpses being eaten by dogs and hungry babies beside their dead mothers.
11:54
Europeans in the 14th century believed that the Black Death was caused by a "fog of death" or miasma, and they attempted to combat it by burning fires and carrying aromatic woods, while also avoiding bathing, physical intimacy, and sad thoughts.
15:55
The word "quarantine" comes from the Black Death in Venice, Italy, where they started isolating ships for 40 days before allowing them to come on land, although 60% of the population still died within 18 months.
19:34
During the Black Death, Christians burned Jews alive in Strasbourg and entire communities were walled up and set on fire, leading to the rise of heretical societies.
23:48
The economic impact of the Black Death included a skyrocketing cost of labor and a decrease in the price of food due to the decrease in population, and the Black Death potentially led to the birth of modern science and medicine.
28:04
The symptoms of the Black Death, including the presence of bubos all over the body, delirium, and purple splotches, do not align with those of bubonic plague, leading some researchers to propose alternative theories such as hemorrhagic fever or an extinct disease.
32:01
The Black Death caused a significant number of deaths, with 7,000 deaths a day at its peak in Cairo.
Categories:
Society & Culture
