In January 2022, a massive underwater volcano erupted at Tonga, shooting so much water into the stratosphere that water vapor levels there suddenly rose by 10%. The climate consequences of such an unprecedented eruption were unknown. A year later, a multitude of atmospheric and oceanic anomalies, exceeding several standard deviations, were observed. Together, these anomalies constitute a multiannual global deviation from long-term climate patterns, meaning that 2023–24 qualifies as the real first climate event in 80 years. The media and politicians blamed human emissions of greenhouse gases for making it possible and used it to push the net zero political agenda. However, climate scientists and their models could not explain it and denied, without evidence, that the Hunga Tonga eruption could have been responsible. Dr Vinós, who has studied the 2023–24 climate event, suggests that only the Hunga Tonga eruption can explain the rapid, abrupt warming and subsequent intense cooling. The media and scientists have remained silent on this unexplained cooling. Dr Vinós’ analysis sheds new light on this hitherto unexplored area of climate science and will undoubtedly lead to animated discussion.