What, you might ask, do laser scans of part of the Alps have to do with the murder of Thomas Becket? Well, if you read this article you’ll find out. Lead-smelting and royal conscience-grovelling get a look-in as well. Huh? Well, yes, that was my reaction too, but believe it or not, it seems very likely that Becket’s death so offended the Pope that he excommunicated Henry II. Henry then began a feverish programme of church-building to get back in favour. Traces of the pollution from all the smelting floated across Europe and ended up in the Alps, where today’s laser scans have found it.
Well, it’s the theory arrived at by the discovery and timing of the smelting pollution in the Alps.
The New Murrey and Blue blog 
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