Over the years doubts have been expressed about the accepted view that the Black Death was caused by bubonic plague. By looking at the evidence of tree-rings and ice cores, Mike Baillie, professor of dendrochronology, has identified a series of natural catastrophes at the beginning of the 14th century caused by meteor strikes. On the basis of the current scientific evidence and of contemporary accounts of the nature and spread of the disease, he is convinced that the disease was airborne, not carried by rats. This fascinating book reveals the detective that led to this revolutionary conclusion.