We've been dealing with smoky skies in North America lately. But in 1816, the eruption of the largest volcano in modern history led to smoke and ash blocking the sun for over a year. The eruption, illness, and famine killed more than 100,000 people and there were fears that the earth was ending. But it did inspire some iconic paintings, poetry, and novels—like Frankenstein.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.