Super Volcano Will Challenge Civilization, Geologists Warn

SPACE.com ^ | March 8, 2005 | Robert Roy Britt

[AntiGuv]

the end is nigh.. sort of..

[AntiGuv]

bottleneck ping!

[hflynn]

The eruption of a super volcano "sooner or later" will chill the planet and threaten human civilization, British scientists warned Tuesday.

Global warming is about to be replaced by The Big Chill.

[dirtboy]

Explosions of this magnitude "happen about every 600,000 years at Yellowstone," says Chuck Wicks of the U.S. Geological Survey, who has studied the possibilities in separate work. "And it's been about 620,000 years since the last super explosive eruption there."

It could erupt next year. Or in another 200,000 years. The 600,000 figure is an average.

[Pete98]

So let me guess: Now we need to shut down US industry to prevent this big volcano from erupting!

[dirtboy]

So let me guess: Now we need to shut down US industry to prevent this big volcano from erupting!

Nah, but a major super volcano eruption would probably lead to the death of at least 90 percent of the world's population, if not more.

[almcbean]

"And now the bad news: There's not much anyone can do about it."

I once saw Mighty Mouse fly around Krakatoa, creating a knot with his contrails and tying up the exploding volcano. So don't tell me there's nothing we can do about it.

On a more serious note, are these the same guys who can't get tomorrow's weather straight?

[Abundy]

Look at the areas covered by the ash...clearly this is a long-term plot by the DNC and the UN to elimate opposition to their Globalist/Socialist agenda by eliminating the "Red" States. It explains their incompetence at winning elections...they aren't thinking short term; they are thinking long term.

/sarcasm

[sam_paine]

There's not much anyone can do about it.

Cept build nuke power plants and warm your toes on an electric heater next to your hydroponic vegetables.

[TonyRo76]

...given that our species branched off from the rest of the primate family tree a few million years ago.

Since when is that deluded Darwinian fantasy a "given"?

[wolfpat]

Well, when it happens, it'll be President Bush's fault.

[AntiGuv]

Since roughly 3.8 million years ago...

[bert]

....Yellowstone may be winding down geologically.....

If so, how come the base elevation in the park has risen by 18 to 20 inches?

Yellowstone is presently active.

[freedumb2003]

Nah, but a major super volcano eruption would probably lead to the death of at least 90 percent of the world's population, if not more

This, of course, would hurt women and minorities the most.

[shekkian]

That ought to chill out those global warming alarmists - unless they try to blame volcanic eruptions on global warming.

[BCR #226]

ping...

[CzarNicky]

So there is a solution to global warming.

[TonyRo76]

Since roughly 3.8 million years ago...

And who of us was around back then, to test and prove this theory?

As far as I'm concerned, such a year would be part of Eternity past.

[TonyRo76]

This, of course, would hurt women and minorities the most.

LOL! Yes, and naturally that would be Bush's fault ;)

[elli1]

Maybe something for the list. Interesting links w/in the article.

[TonyRo76]

Ya beat me to it, I see :]

[Bostton1]

why not make a giant underground tunnel and release the pressure slowly. I know it wouldn't relieve all the pressure, but it could possibly delay an eruption.

[starfish923]

British science....
I always either cringe or prepare to guffaw at the standard line. They are so full of baloney. Their funding is WAY too much and they have WAY too much time.
I never know what's worse, their redundacy, their lunacy, their crytal ball predictions or their condescending.
Oh well, they keep me amused.

[starfish923]

I once saw Mighty Mouse fly around Krakatoa, creating a knot with his contrails and tying up the exploding volcano. So don't tell me there's nothing we can do about it.

Heehee, GOOD one.
I will use that some time and always remember you.

[Blowtorch]

Cept build nuke power plants and warm your toes on an electric heater next to your hydroponic vegetables.

Your scenario is actually plausible, but it would have to be planned for to work. We could even hypothetically Freep during the freeze if we were hooked up to the nuke plant.

[G.Mason]

"Nah, but a major super volcano eruption would probably lead to the death of at least 90 percent of the world's population, if not more."

I can always tell when you've been talking to Carl Sagan.

How is he doing, by the way? ;)

[sauropod]

The eruption of a super volcano "sooner or later" will chill the planet and threaten human civilization, British scientists warned Tuesday.

And now the bad news: There's not much anyone can do about it.

Oh yes we can. We can sign Kyoto. /s

[Blowtorch]

I hope Flash Gordon is keeping an eye on this. He may need to save every one of us.

[G.Mason]

"why not make a giant underground tunnel and release the pressure slowly. I know it wouldn't relieve all the pressure, but it could possibly delay an eruption."

That's it!

Hell, my dentist did that to me when I had a bad abscess and it worked.

Prolly need to wait for a strong wind, 'cause the smell is real bad.

[docbnj]

Sme people will not believe fossil evidence.

[sgtbono2002]

This has made me cancel plans to visit Yellowstone.

[TonyRo76]

Actually, I do believe the fossil evidence points to a global catastrophe involving water...

[sweetliberty]

"Temperatures plummeted by up to 21 degrees at higher latitudes"

Well, I guess that'd take care of that pesky global wariming "problem".

[WestVirginiaRebel]

We're gonna need a really big sweeper:

[Netizen]

On a more serious note, are these the same guys who can't get tomorrow's weather straight?

There are geologists and probably climatologists. Weather people are meteorologists.

[wiley]

The eruption pumps dust and chemicals into the atmosphere for years, screening the Sun and cooling the planet. Earth is plunged into a perpetual winter, some models predict, causing plant and animal species disappear forever.'

That'll get the Feds going. Fines for everyone.

[libbybelle]

I've always had good luck with baking soda.

[Phsstpok]

I am interested in this topic, but I think this particular announcment may have more to do with the upcoming BBC docudrama about such a supervolcano explosion in Yellowstone actually taking place. It was supposed to have aired already, but they delayed it because they thought the Tsunami coverage would make their movie look fake.

There had been a series of similar news announcments in the lead up to the original schedule, plus re-airing of the science documentary on the yellowstone supervolcano, all to drum up interest. I think they're just starting up the hype cycle again.

[reagan_fanatic]

DOOMED!!

[meatloaf]

If we're going to ensure the future of the human race we have to get off the planet. That needs to happen sooner than later. Later may be too late.

[Carry_Okie]

What I don't understand about that Lava Creek ash pattern is that prevailing winds blow from west to east due to coriolis forces that are unlikely to change. So, how would it be distored westward?

[Enterprise]

"That'll get the Feds going. Fines for everyone."

Damned straight skippy. With all that dust in the air don't even THINK about lighting off the BBQ.

But we face a dual danger in this here United States. On the one hand we face the dangers of volcanic ash. And then there's Hillary with her volcanic ass. We're DOOMED I tell ya, DOOMED!

[Rushmore Rocks]

of interest to you?

[mcshot]

My turn, All your ashes belong to us.

mc:>)

[Gefreiter]

d,
Soooo....do I have to go to work tomorrow, or not?

[Centurion2000]

Super Volcano Will Challenge Civilization, Geologists Warn

More like it will wipe civilization off the map in the affected area. When Tomu erupted the estimates were that about 70,000 humans survived worldwide.

[untrained skeptic]

"So let me guess: Now we need to shut down US industry to prevent this big volcano from erupting!"

These scientists aren't using scare tactics to try and push social engineering like the environmentalists, they just want more funding.

They haven't figured out how to make it sound like an urgent emergency yet, so they'll likely be ignored.

[Enterprise]

I heard Bill really liked BBQs cause there were always lots of women to grope.

Ashes to ashes, bust to bust.

[AntiGuv]

Volcanic eruptions frequently eject debris with such force that prevailing air currents have little initial bearing on the distribution pattern. In particular if the volcanic eruption is asymmetrical (as Mount St. Helens was, by example) then the resulting ash zone can easily end up extending completely against the wind direction.

[verity]

"There's not much anyone can do about it."

That's settled. On to the next story.