Good outlook for scientists

Weather records, including details gleaned from monks' diaries, are helping scientists verify how European climates have changed.

Researchers from Edinburgh University have found historic records match closely to simulations of climate patterns over the past 500 years, which were created using contemporary data.

The simulated data took account of minor influences such as volcanic activity and an increase in greenhouse gases.

Scientists say that because the data matches, these additional factors must be more significant than was thought.