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Birth of Modern Horror Genre
- The 1816 volcanic winter inspired early modern horror through writers Mary Shelley, Percy Shelley, and Lord Byron near Geneva.
- Their gloom and isolation birthed "Frankenstein," reflecting fears of science overpowering humanity amid environmental crisis.
Frankenstein’s Scientific Anxiety
- Frankenstein critiques Enlightenment science and industrialization, portraying science as a monster that could destroy humanity.
- The novel's cold imagery reflects 1816's freezing conditions caused by volcanic ash, linking environmental change to literature.
Volcanic Winter Spurs Bicycle Birth
- The volcanic winter's oat shortage led to inventing the velocipede, the precursor to the modern bicycle.
- Human innovation responded to environmental hardship caused by the eruption, altering transportation history.