When early humans lived through a Toba super eruption in Indonesia, they had a slim chance of surviving a cataclysmic event. It was speculated that it nearly killed off early hominids. It was instrumental in human evolution to survive this deadly period, and flourish as a species.
Toba is a supervolcano that changed the climate during its eruption 74,000 years ago, it had a far-reaching impact on the earth. But evidence shows that our ancestors by some unknown factor surpass the hellish environment.
This period saw an amazing ability of the human species to adapt to this chaotic environment, which would have assured the end of the species. Several times in history people saw the demise of many species, but man's survival is an exception.
Toba Volcano blows its top!
The volcanic eruption of Toba was catastrophic, a cyclic event that would kill many animals and plants. It debris covered the sky with ash that brought in winter from tons of material from inside the volcano. It was a time of death and rebirth for anything that could survive, the Daily Mail.
It caused the temperature to drop for ten years which is said to kill off the earth plant species, that were affected. Early humans lived through a super eruption in Indonesia but may have been almost killed too.
One research in this period revealed the Southern Hemisphere is where human ancestors lived. Oddly, this part of the world had an increase of up to 4 degrees Celsius. Those living in the northern part of the world had to survive freezing temperatures, and winters were severe too.
Freezing the north
In the Northern Hemisphere which is North America, Europe, and Asia, where the temperature would drop by 10 degrees Celsius. It was a time of freezing compared to the Southern Hemisphere.
A model in this epoch used 42 simulated global climate scenarios, with several factors and input to tweak them. These were sulfur emissions, when the eruption occurred, background climate, plus other factors.
According to Benjamin Black from Rutgers University, noted by CAM, several climate models were explored to find an answer to what happened 74,000 years ago.
He added that the eruption and the climate model point to severe change as a result of the volcanic blast. Though the archaeological and paleoclimate records referring to Africa had no major changes.
Black added that chances are that scientists were in the wrong place to get a clear picture of climatic change. With Africa and India spared the worst of the Toba super-eruption.
He remarked that Neanderthals and Denisovan (human ancestors) had been present in Europe and Asia in that era. Suggesting that more data is needed to factor in their presence in Europe.
Black told Inside Science that a contrast must have been seen between the average yearly temperature in New York and in Canada.
Other evidence
Studies done before hinted the super eruption was a key push that determines ancient human evolution. It might be human ancestors were nearly wiped out, which left only 10,000 to 30,000 in the population. But, some studies contest that conclusion.
Toba's cataclysmic super eruption was the biggest during the past 2 million years ago (MyA). Its huge eruption ejected from 720 to 1,300 cubic miles of magma, and ash up to 25 miles up, that covered the sun.
Related article: Older Volcanoes That Erupt Less Often Produce More Dangerous Explosions, New Research Reveals
