Laki, a volcanic fissure in Iceland, erupted violently between June 1783 and February 1784, spewing out massive amounts of basalt lava and toxic gases. This catastrophic event led to the death of over half of Iceland's livestock and caused a famine that claimed the lives of at least a fifth of the human population on the island. The aftermath of the eruption also had far-reaching consequences, including a drop in global temperatures, crop failures in Europe, and even affecting monsoon circulations in Africa and India. Overall, Laki's eruption was a big deal, causing chaos and devastation on a pretty epic scale.