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How do you suppose the Vikings reverted the climate during the Medieval Warm Period? Interestingly, Norse Mythology centers around Frost Giants signalling the

How do you suppose the Vikings reverted the climate during the Medieval Warm Period? Interestingly, Norse Mythology centers around Frost Giants signalling the end of the world. They feared the ice returning. Why do you think that is?

viraptor 6y ago
I was not thinking about the Viking times in this case, but honestly I love the frost giants version!
sebcat 6y ago
Fimbulvinter (a long winter) was a sign of Ragnarök. Ice giants was not a sign.
- chrisco255 6y ago
  Fair enough. Point still stands. The Norse feared long and continuous winter. Not warming. Why?
  - PeterisP 6y ago
    Because the area is currently colder than average or optimal for human habitation and agriculture. Colder climates make Scandinavian peninsula uninhabitable (e.g. as it was during Weichselian glaciation) and local warming would likely even be helpful for the long-term habitability and agriculture of that particular region (unlike the much more populated areas in warmer climates), the costs and risks for Nordic countries mainly come from the change as such, requiring adaptation. The Norse people who were living in the northern parts of modern Norway would probably prefer if these lands had the climate of current Oslo area or Denmark, not fear that.
  - roywiggins 6y ago
    Quite possibly because they had actually experienced what happens when the summer doesn't come. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extreme_weather_events_of_535%E2%80%93536 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extreme_weather_events_of_53...
  - goto11 6y ago
    Isn't it obvious? Winters in Scandinavia are dark and cold and nothing grows. A winter lasting multiple years would lead to starvation, so basically the end of the world. Especially if the sun and moon was eaten by a wolf. But according to Völuspá, after the Fimbul winter there will be a big battle and the fire giant Surt will set the world on fire with his flaming sword. So you get both ice and fire! If you are interested there is an English translation of Völuspá here: http://www.voluspa.org/voluspa.htm http://www.voluspa.org/voluspa.htm
- TeMPOraL 6y ago
  FWIW, we could also make such winter happen, with a press of a button (or a wrong tweet by the right person).

viraptor 6y ago

I was not thinking about the Viking times in this case, but honestly I love the frost giants version!

sebcat 6y ago

Fimbulvinter (a long winter) was a sign of Ragnarök. Ice giants was not a sign.

chrisco255 6y ago
Fair enough. Point still stands. The Norse feared long and continuous winter. Not warming. Why?
- PeterisP 6y ago
  Because the area is currently colder than average or optimal for human habitation and agriculture. Colder climates make Scandinavian peninsula uninhabitable (e.g. as it was during Weichselian glaciation) and local warming would likely even be helpful for the long-term habitability and agriculture of that particular region (unlike the much more populated areas in warmer climates), the costs and risks for Nordic countries mainly come from the change as such, requiring adaptation. The Norse people who were living in the northern parts of modern Norway would probably prefer if these lands had the climate of current Oslo area or Denmark, not fear that.
- roywiggins 6y ago
  Quite possibly because they had actually experienced what happens when the summer doesn't come. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extreme_weather_events_of_535%E2%80%93536 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extreme_weather_events_of_53...
- goto11 6y ago
  Isn't it obvious? Winters in Scandinavia are dark and cold and nothing grows. A winter lasting multiple years would lead to starvation, so basically the end of the world. Especially if the sun and moon was eaten by a wolf. But according to Völuspá, after the Fimbul winter there will be a big battle and the fire giant Surt will set the world on fire with his flaming sword. So you get both ice and fire! If you are interested there is an English translation of Völuspá here: http://www.voluspa.org/voluspa.htm http://www.voluspa.org/voluspa.htm
TeMPOraL 6y ago
FWIW, we could also make such winter happen, with a press of a button (or a wrong tweet by the right person).