It is widely understood that now is the best time to be alive for most of the planet. But what was the worst time?
Most would assume that war or disease might be the culprit but evidence suggests that a number of extreme weather events that led to a widespread famine most likely due to a “volcanic winter” in 536 [CE] obscuring the Sun with a “mystery cloud.”
The cloud seemed to spark a little ice age and a chain of global crop failure and famine. Snow fell during the summer in China, and droughts hit Peru. Records in Ireland indicate a “bread failure”.
via When Was The Worst Time To Be Alive In Human History? | IFLScience.