Darkness from 3rd Nephi Contained in Ice Cores | Benjamin Jordan

In a 2003 feature article for the Journal of Book of Mormon Studies, Benjamin R. Jordan investigates whether ice-core data from Greenland and Antarctica can validate accounts of volcanic destruction described in the Book of Mormon. The scriptural text of 3 Nephi 8 details a massive natural disaster occurring around the time of Christ’s death, characterized by storms, earthquakes, and deep darkness that many scholars attribute to volcanism. Jordan explains that while polar ice preserves chemical evidence of global eruptions via sulfuric acid layers, identifying specific events is complicated by dating errors and atmospheric variables. His research identifies acidic spikes in various cores dating roughly to the first century, including a notable signal around A.D. 30–40. Although these scientific findings are not yet definitive, Jordan argues they provide plausible evidence for a significant eruption during the period in question. Ultimately, the study bridges geological science and religious history by correlating physical climate records with ancient scriptural narratives.

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