The Earth has witnessed many eras that enjoyed different forms of climate. Recently, researchers strive to understand the nature of past climates, which helps them monitor the course of climate changes with greater precision.

And the more data there is for scientists, the better they can develop climate models. Therefore, researchers are always striving to find different sources of data. And this is what an international research group worked on; they found a way to utilize the data in the narrative records documented by early missionaries and explorers in Tanzania and South Africa during the 19th century.

Thus, the researchers were able to build a longer record of climate change in that region, enhancing the accuracy of climate models. The researchers published their study in the journal "Climate of the Past" on December 12, 2024.

Challenges

Numerous challenges, particularly in relation to climate change, confront the Global South, particularly in tropical regions. Because these areas are crucial for understanding the nature and evolution of the climate on Earth, scientists have been seeking data and evidence of climate changes dating back to before the mid-20th century, especially since that period is data-poor.

This is due to several factors, including the difficulty of conducting research in such areas, which typically requires the analysis of tree rings to obtain data and build models. However, the issue lies in the fact that many tropical species lack annual rings and respond differently to climate changes.

Tracking

In the late 1850s, Europeans were passing through some cities in central Tanzania in Africa, recording their observations on the weather, rainfall patterns, the nature of the seasons, and so on. During the late 1870s of the same century, European missionary groups arrived in Tanzania and stayed for extended periods, continuing to record their observations and document rainfall patterns for approximately 30 years.

Thus, note-taking helped in obtaining clear data on rainfall patterns, floods, drought periods, harvests, and pastures for the period from 1856 to 1890. Researchers combined this information with the data they had, which contributed to providing a clear picture of climate changes in those areas.

Scientists need past data to understand the present and prepare for the future, especially in the context of climate changes that have become a crisis threatening the lives of everyone living on Earth.