Volcano That May Have Killed Neanderthals Is Making Noise

[futureshock]

Scientists Getting Nervous About Italian Supervolcano
Mama mia!

A woman takes a close look at a steaming fumarola at the Solfatara crater bed in Italy's Campi Flegrei last April

By Michael Harthorne, Newser Staff
Posted Dec 22, 2016 6:15 PM CST
Updated Dec 23, 2016 1:00 AM CST

(NEWSER) – An Italian supervolcano could be heading toward an eruption—and that's bad news for the 500,000 or so people who live in and around it, the Washington Post reports. Campi Flegrei is a 7.5-mile-wide caldera, the collapsed top of an ancient volcano. The eruption that formed it 39,000 years ago was the biggest in Europe in 200,000 years and may have been responsible for killing off the Neanderthals. Since then, it's only had two major eruptions: 35,000 years ago and 12,000 years ago, according to Science Alert. But a "minor" eruption in 1538 was still plenty serious, releasing enough material to form a new mountain. An Italian philosopher of the time described that eruption thusly: "At the second hour of the night, this mount of earth opened like a mouth, with a great roaring, vomiting much fire and pumice and stones.”

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Now activity is picking up at Campi Flegrei. Uplift started in 2005, and an alert level for the volcano was raised in 2012, requiring seismic monitoring, AFP reports. Recent years have seen increases in minor seismic activity and ground deformation. On Tuesday, researchers published a study in Nature stating that the caldera is nearing a "critical degassing pressure" that "can drive volcanic unrest toward a critical state." It's still impossible to say when another eruption may occur, but researchers are hoping to spur more research and monitoring at Campi Flegrei for the sake of the residents of nearby Naples, for whom an eruption "would be very dangerous." (Meanwhile, the biggest volcano on Earth may be waking up.)

 

[woodchuck]

Yep, I read about this about a month ago. Ma Nature's about to get in that ass!

 

[futureshock]

Yep, I read about this about a month ago. Ma Nature's about to get in that ass!

Yeah, these things are waking up.

As soon as that drumpf gets sworn in....the earth will stand still. I said it before, the universe will try to reject that crazy cac.


Bogoslof volcano in the Aleutians is still rumbling after 2 eruptions in 2 days
Author: Chris Klint, Jerzy Shedlock
Updated: 7 hours ago
Published 23 hours ago

A plume rises from Bogoslof volcano, partially obscured by a mountain on Unalaska Island, in this view from Unalaska, about 60 miles east of the volcano, on Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2016. (Lynda Lybeck-Robinson / ADN reader submission)


A volcano in the Aleutian Islands was showing "continuous" seismic activity Thursday, which dramatically reshaped a small island closest to its vent.

The Alaska Volcano Observatory has been watching Bogoslof volcano closely since Tuesday, when pilots saw a brief eruption that prompted AVO to issue warnings of an imminent or continuing eruption.

But AVO reduced ratings for Bogoslof, about 60 miles west of Unalaska, to an aviation code of orange and an alert level of "watch" following the second eruption at about 4:10 p.m. Wednesday. A 35,000-foot ash plume from that eruption drifted northward, the observatory said.

Those alert levels remained in effect throughout Thursday, despite the observatory reporting "strong continuous seismic activity" beginning around 1:40 a.m., based on data from monitoring stations on nearby islands.

The observatory released a satellite-based map showing a plume of sulfur dioxide, a gas released during volcanic activity, being carried north from Bogoslof just after 11 p.m. Wednesday.


Dave Schneider, a volcanologist at AVO, said the observatory was using a variety of sensors deployed by space agencies over the Pacific Ocean to monitor events at Bogoslof.

"SO2 is probably the most easily detectable volcanic gas," Schneider said. "With the satellite resolutions we usually see, we don't normally see usual volcano degassing; it's more consistent with an explosion."


The sulfur dioxide was proving easier to track than ash from Wednesday's eruption. Despite unofficial models on the AVO website showing ash drifting to the northeast, Schneider said they were computer projections, not forecasts. He said it was possible that a sulfur cloud might pass over Anchorage, but ash-fall that far northeast of the volcano was unlikely.

Schneider said observatory staff typically coordinate with the National Weather Service to track actual ash-fall sites.


"In many cases, a volcanic cloud can pass over an area without dumping ash on the area or (producing) much ash fallout," Schneider said.

Terri Tibbe, the operations manager at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, said her staff had received "no warnings or alerts" regarding airborne ash from Bogoslof.

Michael Kutz, a meteorologist at the weather service's Anchorage office, said the pilots of two jets reported encountering the sulfur plume east of Bethel early Thursday. The first jet was at an altitude of 37,000 feet about 60 miles northeast of Bethel at 7:06 a.m., and the second was at 32,000 feet about 100 miles east at 7:52 a.m.

"All they reported was a strong sulfur smell but negative ash," Kutz said.


No ground-based reports of falling ash had reached the weather agency following the sulfur emission, according to Kutz.

"It's just been that one great big burp and then it's really been smell," Kutz said.



On Thursday morning, Grant Aviation pilot Chad Smith said from the Unalaska airport he flew near Bogoslof about half an hour after its Tuesday eruption, but the ash had already dissipated and he saw only a 500-foot steam plume.

Neither eruption has sent ash toward Unalaska, he said.

"Because of the wind and its direction, it's been blowing out to sea, out into the Bering," Smith said. "It hasn't affected us at all so far, so we've been lucky."

Smith didn't anticipate any effects on Grant Aviation flights Thursday due to the volcano.

"We're just at a heightened state of alert," Smith said. "Due to the constant state of eruptions, we're just keeping an eye on it."

Kutz said that the single ash plume from Wednesday's eruption had headed north.

"It went out over the top of the Aleutian chain out into the (Bering Sea), and it's out of our (monitoring) area," Kutz said.

Aerial photo taken May 10, 1994, looking south at Bogoslof Island, the summit of a largely submarine stratovolcano in the Bering Sea 31 miles behind the main Aleutian volcanic arc. The island, due to energetic wave action and frequent eruptive activity, has changed shape dramatically since first mapped in the late 1700s. (Photo by T. Keith / U.S. Geological Survey via Alaska Volcano Observatory)

AVO staff assessed data and determined an approximate location of the volcano's vent, which was underwater near Bogoslof Island's eastern shoreline, or where the shoreline used to be. The island has been shaped by previous blasts, and the most recent eruption is no exception.

Ash-fall has accumulated above sea level and created new land while a portion of the island near the vent was blown out during one of the eruptions, Schneider said.

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"This (event) has been mostly ash fallout, which is cinders or granular material that's not welded together. It's loose material," Schneider said. "What may happen next is lava makes it up to the surface, hot and fluid, and it flows a short distance before cooling and solidifying."

If lava surfaces it will likely be around the location of the vent, he said. The island already features dome-shaped landmarks formed by lava during previous eruptions, the most recent having been in July 1992.

Seismic activity at the volcano had tapered off Thursday evening, but Schneider said it remains restless.

"The volcano remains less restless and seismicity associated with ongoing activity continues. The strength of the activity waxes and wanes, and that's typical for all volcanoes. Ever. For all time."

 

[woodchuck]

Ain't Yellowstone due to blow soon?

 

[tallblacknyc]

Ain't Yellowstone due to blow soon?

hey buddy no jinx..when u say soon u mean 100,000 yrs from now at least

 

[woodchuck]

hey buddy no jinx..when u say soon u mean 100,000 yrs from now at least

Oh, I didn't mean in our lifetime, but I think it may be sooner than 100k. One scientist said in about 4k or so.

 

[Helico-pterFunk]

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/lat...flegrei-super-volcano-italy-eruption-vesuvius

 

[THE DRIZZY]

Yep, I read about this about a month ago. Ma Nature's about to get in that ass!

I always say we need to return to our roots as a people and get in tune with her. That is our power and how we defeat debils.

 

[futureshock]

‘Gate to Hell’ in Ethiopia is OPEN: Volcano cracks 'with no explanation' as lava spurts from Earth

A VOLCANO known as the “Gateway to Hell” has left scientists baffled and has begun to crack apart and spurt lava.
By Henry Holloway / Published 1st February 2017

Erta Ale, a massive hellish volcano which has been active for more than 100 years, has began to fracture as the lava in its spluttering molten lakes begins to rise.

NASA images have revealed cracks snaking their way across the volcanic terrain which are seeping lava.


The volcano began spewing lava endangering those near

GATE TO HELL: Erta Ale has been active for more than 100 years
“Three tectonic plates are tearing themselves apart in spectacular fashion”

Researchers have also been left shocked as lava lakes around the summit have begun to overflow and ooze red-hot magma.

The volcano on the Ethiopian and Eritrean border in Africa is known as the “Gateway to Hell”.

Lava lakes have gurgled and splattered across the terrain for decades, and periodically explode in huge eruptions.

ERTA ALE: NASA revealed aerial pictures of the 'Gateway to Hell'

VOLCANO: Erta Ale is covered in lava lakes which are starting to boil over
Fissures are now beginning to tear apart the volcanic terrain and local scientists from the Addis Ababa University are now studying the cracks.

Plumes of volcanic gases and steam are also spewing from the lava lakes as the volcano begins to rage with activity.

ERUPTION: The flanks of the volcano are breaking apart

 

[futureshock]

ERUPTION WARNING: North Korean supervolcano could blow and cause WORLDWIDE devastation
A HUGE volcano in North Korea could be on the brink of erupting, and if it does, the explosion could be so severe that it would cause devastation around the entire globe, scientists have warned.
By SEAN MARTIN
PUBLISHED: 06:11, Thu, Jan 19, 2017 | UPDATED: 07:26, Thu, Jan 19, 2017

The deadly Mount Paektu, which straddles the borders of North Korea and China, is responsible for one of the deadliest eruptions in human history, and scientists fear that it could blow again.

Nearby nuclear weapons testing from the Kim Jong-un regime could trigger an eruption as rumblings could upset lava beneath the surface, scientists have previously stated.

Now, new studies show that the eruption could eject far more sulphur into the atmosphere than previously thought, which could devastate life on Earth.

Mount Paektu once underwent one of the most devastating eruptions in history in 946AD when it erupted so powerfully that it formed a five kilometre caldera at its summit and produced enough ash that it even showered Japan – almost 1,100km away.

Mt Paektu could blow

Such has been the fear around Mount Paektu that it has sparked a rare collaboration with North Korea and the West, with the largely secretive nation inviting scientists from the UK and US to help study it.

Dr James Hammond from the University of London, one of the selected few who were given access to the site, says that the devastation in the 946AD eruption was much more significant than previously thought – and history could repeat itself.

Paketu straddles the border of North Korea and China

The eruption could cause global devastation
"We suggest it could have been one of the largest on record.”

Stephen Grand, a seismologist at the University of Texas at Austin, previously said: “I think the risk of a destructive eruption here is very real.”

The team believe that the 946AD released more sulphur into the atmosphere than the 1815 eruption of Tambora, which contributed to the "year without a summer” and saw temperatures plummet worldwide.

 

[ansatsusha_gouki]

I will read later

 

[futureshock]

These are the explosive images of some of the worlds most astonishing volcanic eruptions. Spectacular snaps capture lava spewing down the side of Kilauea, ash spitting from craters and plumes of smoke rising thousands of feet in the air

 

[futureshock]

Supervolcano 'worse than Vesuvius' that could kill MILLIONS across Europe 'ready to blow'

A SUPERVOLCANO on the brink of blowing threatens to wipe out Europe, kill millions “immediately” and bring the world economy to its knees.
By Joshua Nevett / Published 30th January 2017

Around two thousand years ago Mount Vesuvius erupted, destroying the Roman city of Pompeii and killing an estimated 1,500 people.

Today, a far more sinister supervolcano named Campi Flegrei is lurking underneath Naples in Italy.

Shock research, revealed last month, warned that the “big daddy” of Vesuvius is showing signs of “reawakening” and may be on the brink of going off.

Should it blow in a “big one” eruption, experts told Daily Star Online thousands, possibly millions, of people across Europe would be killed “immediately” from incineration and suffocation.

Dense black ash clouds would block out the sun, plunging the continent into months, if not years, of eerie darkness.

Tens of billions would be instantly wiped off the global economy as air travel, industry and farming would be ground to a halt.

The environment would take a pounding too as a boiling black cloud of hit gas would shoot into the atmosphere, triggering acid rain and accelerating global warming.

Worryingly scientists cannot predict and have no idea when it will next blow its top.

Dr. Luca De Siena, Geophysics professor at University of Aberdeen, is one of the leading experts researching the volcano.

Campi Flegrei last blew in 1538 in an eruption lasting eight days that formed a new mountain, Monte Nuovo.

DANGEROUS: An cloud of ash hangs over Vesuvius after an eruption in 1944

AERIAL VIEW: Campi Flegrei is the largest volcanic feature along the Bay of Naples

But its most cataclysmic eruption came when it was formed around 39,000 years ago in a devastating blast that threw masses of lava, rock and debris into the air.

Professor De Siena said current activity does not suggest a “big one”, though “a small could take place”.

He told Daily Star Online: “In case of a small one, similar to the eruption in 1538, people living near the point of the eruption would be affected.

“We are still talking of thousands of people who could die/lose their houses, and the warning would be much less than for a big one.

“The economy of the entire Europe would be still in danger because of consequences.

“In case of a big one, it could affect our chances to live in Europe, immediately killing hundreds of thousands if not millions.

“Ashes would cover the sun, possibly for days/months/years, affecting humanity, fauna, and flora in other continents.”

​

Volcanologist Stefano Carlino, of National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, told Daily Star Online predicting the next eruption is “not possible”.

Dr Carlino has lead a team drill at the volcano in a bid to predict future eruptions.

What scientists call an uplift, when molten magma rises to the surface, has been bubbling over since 2005.

He said this slow 11-year movement of boiling hot fluid “could represent a long term preparation to an eruption”.

REAWAKENING: Campi Flegrei has been dubbed the 'big daddy' of Vesuvius (pictured)

He said: “Based on the present dynamic of the Campi Flegrei caldera, the expected next eruption is a smaller one, possibly similar to the last occurred in 1538.

“In this case a very minor part of the 350,000 people living inside the caldera zone will be in danger.

“But we don’t know what will change in the future behaviour of the volcano.

“The worst scenario, which is very unlikely, is a catastrophic ignimbrite eruption.

“An event like this will involve directly at least three million of people and indirectly many regions of Italy.”

“People should keep high their perception of risk.”

UNSURE: Scientists have no idea when the volcano will erupt

To mitigate the effects of the eruption, Dr De Siena said volcano monitoring techniques need to be improved.

De Siena, who spent four years studying the volcano, said funding for research needs to be ramped up.

However, he said the future looks bleak regardless.

He said: “In case of the big one, disastrous consequences would be difficult if not impossible to mitigate.

“We must become conscious that a volcano eruption of this kind may completely change our way of living - and in the future will surely do.

“To mitigate this means to invest in technologies that allow humanity to survive and prosper even after.”

 

[tallblacknyc]

These are the explosive images of some of the worlds most astonishing volcanic eruptions. Spectacular snaps capture lava spewing down the side of Kilauea, ash spitting from craters and plumes of smoke rising thousands of feet in the air

shittttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt

 

[tallblacknyc]

Supervolcano 'worse than Vesuvius' that could kill MILLIONS across Europe 'ready to blow'

A SUPERVOLCANO on the brink of blowing threatens to wipe out Europe, kill millions “immediately” and bring the world economy to its knees.
By Joshua Nevett / Published 30th January 2017

Around two thousand years ago Mount Vesuvius erupted, destroying the Roman city of Pompeii and killing an estimated 1,500 people.

Today, a far more sinister supervolcano named Campi Flegrei is lurking underneath Naples in Italy.

Shock research, revealed last month, warned that the “big daddy” of Vesuvius is showing signs of “reawakening” and may be on the brink of going off.

Should it blow in a “big one” eruption, experts told Daily Star Online thousands, possibly millions, of people across Europe would be killed “immediately” from incineration and suffocation.

Dense black ash clouds would block out the sun, plunging the continent into months, if not years, of eerie darkness.

Tens of billions would be instantly wiped off the global economy as air travel, industry and farming would be ground to a halt.

The environment would take a pounding too as a boiling black cloud of hit gas would shoot into the atmosphere, triggering acid rain and accelerating global warming.

Worryingly scientists cannot predict and have no idea when it will next blow its top.

Dr. Luca De Siena, Geophysics professor at University of Aberdeen, is one of the leading experts researching the volcano.

Campi Flegrei last blew in 1538 in an eruption lasting eight days that formed a new mountain, Monte Nuovo.

DANGEROUS: An cloud of ash hangs over Vesuvius after an eruption in 1944

AERIAL VIEW: Campi Flegrei is the largest volcanic feature along the Bay of Naples

But its most cataclysmic eruption came when it was formed around 39,000 years ago in a devastating blast that threw masses of lava, rock and debris into the air.

Professor De Siena said current activity does not suggest a “big one”, though “a small could take place”.

He told Daily Star Online: “In case of a small one, similar to the eruption in 1538, people living near the point of the eruption would be affected.

“We are still talking of thousands of people who could die/lose their houses, and the warning would be much less than for a big one.

“The economy of the entire Europe would be still in danger because of consequences.

“In case of a big one, it could affect our chances to live in Europe, immediately killing hundreds of thousands if not millions.

“Ashes would cover the sun, possibly for days/months/years, affecting humanity, fauna, and flora in other continents.”

​

Volcanologist Stefano Carlino, of National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, told Daily Star Online predicting the next eruption is “not possible”.

Dr Carlino has lead a team drill at the volcano in a bid to predict future eruptions.

What scientists call an uplift, when molten magma rises to the surface, has been bubbling over since 2005.

He said this slow 11-year movement of boiling hot fluid “could represent a long term preparation to an eruption”.

REAWAKENING: Campi Flegrei has been dubbed the 'big daddy' of Vesuvius (pictured)

He said: “Based on the present dynamic of the Campi Flegrei caldera, the expected next eruption is a smaller one, possibly similar to the last occurred in 1538.

“In this case a very minor part of the 350,000 people living inside the caldera zone will be in danger.

“But we don’t know what will change in the future behaviour of the volcano.

“The worst scenario, which is very unlikely, is a catastrophic ignimbrite eruption.

“An event like this will involve directly at least three million of people and indirectly many regions of Italy.”

“People should keep high their perception of risk.”

UNSURE: Scientists have no idea when the volcano will erupt

To mitigate the effects of the eruption, Dr De Siena said volcano monitoring techniques need to be improved.

De Siena, who spent four years studying the volcano, said funding for research needs to be ramped up.

However, he said the future looks bleak regardless.

He said: “In case of the big one, disastrous consequences would be difficult if not impossible to mitigate.

“We must become conscious that a volcano eruption of this kind may completely change our way of living - and in the future will surely do.

“To mitigate this means to invest in technologies that allow humanity to survive and prosper even after.”

note to self "keep your black ass away from europe"

 

[futureshock]

note to self "keep your black ass away from europe"

And maybe Mexico and Alaska

 

[futureshock]

Mexican Volcano Puts On Breathtaking Lightning Show

VOLCÁN DE COLIMA DOING ITS THING
By Robin Andrews
01/02/2017, 20:57

Mexico’s Volcán de Colima has been erupting rather spectacularly as of late. This particular mountain has had a long history of violent explosivity, but in the last few years, this stratovolcano has been picking up the pace somewhat by exhibiting near-continuous eruptive activity.

Thankfully, the volcano is being permanently monitored by scientists, emergency services, and webcams. It’s also caught the eye of photographer Sergio Tapiro Velasco, who managed to capture this unbelievably stunning image of volcanic lightning leaping forth from the tip of a plume of ash.

Volcanic lightning is a phenomenon that has yet to be definitively explained. Conventional lightning appears when a layer of warm air mixes with a layer of colder air, normally within clouds. This tends to produce an electrostatic charge, with the upper segment of the cloud having a positive electric charge and the lower segment having a negative one.






For a while, the insulating capacity of the air stops the charge imbalance from correcting itself. When the charge builds up to a certain level, however, the insulation breaks down as a flash of lightning appears, balancing out the charge in the air, albeit temporarily.

Within a volcanic cloud, researchers think that lightning appears from the base of the magma within the volcano’s vent. The churning action seems to electrify the ash and lava blebs floating around in the cloud right above it.

This allows charge to accumulate, and, just like within a normal water cloud, lightning appears when the charge imbalance becomes too strong. Generally speaking, the larger the ash plume, the more frequent the volcanic lightning.




So that’s the basic science that could be behind this beautiful light show. If you want to see it for yourself, we’d suggest going to Japan’s Sakurajima, where you can see it several times a month in some instances.


**********


Another day, another eruption for Mexico's 'fire' volcano
Colima is one of the country's most active volcanoes
CBC News Posted: Jan 05, 2017 1:23 PM ET Last Updated: Jan 05, 2017 1:23 PM ET

Mexico's Colima volcano erupts again
One of Mexico's most active volcanoes has erupted, yet again.

Colima — known locally as the volcano of fire — spewed gas and ash into the air on Wednesday. An ongoing volcanic ash advisory, issued by the Volcanic Ash Advisory Center in Washington, remains in effect Thursday.

The volcano is in western Mexico, about 160 kilometres south of Guadalajara. Its eruptions date back to the 16th century, but have been steady since 1994.

A large plume of ash rises from the crater of the Colima volcano, also known as the Volcano of Fire, on Saturday, Dec. 24, 2016. (Dario Lopez-Mills/Associated Press)

The activity has intensified since last October, when nearby residents were evacuated as the volcano spewed lava. It is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, the 40,000-kilometre volcanically volatile area home to about 75 per cent of the world's active volcanoes.

Colima's recent eruptions have created some lava domes, made from lava that has built up around the volcano's opening.

 

[futureshock]

Bogoslof volcano erupts 28 times within 6 weeks
By Shannon Ballard
Photojournalist: Heather Hintze - 7:46 PM January 31, 2017

ANCHORAGE –

The Bogoslof Island volcano in the Aleutians sat quietly for nearly 25 years — at least until about six weeks ago.

Monday night, it erupted for the 28th time since mid-December, according to researchers at the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO). Geophysicist Matthew Haney said he is running on coffee and adrenaline.

“It started at about 8:20 p.m. Alaska time and I was up until about 5 a.m.,” Haney said.

Bogoslof’s latest eruption was unlike any Haney said he’s ever observed before.

“I expect people will be talking about this eruption for many years and people will be coming back to the data streams, looking at it to learn more,” Haney said.

Haney and his colleagues at AVO say the eight-hour, explosive event included volcanic lightning, pressure waves in the atmosphere and a large amount of seismic activity that signals a change in Bogoslof’s behavior.

Analysis of shoreline changes at Bogoslof volcano due to eruptive activity. The base image is from Jan. 24 and the shorelines on Jan. 30 & 31 are noted by the blue and red dashed lines, respectively. Photo: Kim Angeli/AVO

“I think that’s really interesting to have a volcano that’s under the ocean and may be building up — based on the seismic signals we saw last night, may be building up out of the ocean,” Haney said.

Ash on a vehicle in Unalaska

This latest eruption has since subsided, but a fine layer of volcanic ash now covers vehicles in the nearby community of Unalaska.

“We smelled sulfur, there is still sulfur smell in the air but it was pretty strong last night in the middle of the night,” Unalaska resident Virginia Hatfield said.

Scientists say the ash in Unalaska does not pose a health risk. However, a temporary flight restriction remains in place within 10 miles of the volcano.

AVO relies on pilots and people on the ground to send in pictures and information, as the observatory does not have equipment on the island.

Haney said Bogoslof has been erupting every couple days and he expects more explosions to come.

“I don’t see it slowing down any time soon,” Haney said.

 

[futureshock]

 

[Madrox]

Ain't Yellowstone due to blow soon?

Based on historical records, Its OVER due aint it?

 

[RoadRage]

Could never get my science project volcano to do this... Think I was using too much baking soda..

 

[Non-StopJFK2TAB]

It appears the volcanoes are communicating. I wonder if they are interested in a Triple Play from Comcast. They will get a great deal on Internet and cable, and an opportunity to have a landline that is easily accessible.

 

[futureshock]

JAN 8, 2017 @ 02:37 PM18,833 VIEWS
This Is How A Volcano's Pyroclastic Flow Will Kill You

Robin Andrews
I write about volcanoes - real, fictional and anything in-between.

Volcanoes are notoriously deadly, but there’s no more frightening a way to meet your own personalized doom than via a pyroclastic flow. These fast-moving ferocious fires look more like summoned demons from a videogame than anything natural – but what exactly happens when one hits you?

KARO, NORTH SUMATRA, INDONESIA - JUNE 20: Mount Sinabung spews pyroclastic smoke, seen from Tiga Kicat village on June 20, 2015 in Karo District, North Sumatra, Indonesia. According to The National Disaster Mitigation Agency, more than 10,000 villagers have fled their homes since the authorities raised the alert status of Mount Sinabung erupting to the highest level. (Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images)

Pyroclastic flows are the signature fireworks of the most explosive kinds of volcanic eruptions. These mixtures of ash, lava blebs and broiling gas exceed temperatures of 1,000°C (1,832°F) and move at speeds of up to 700 kilometers per hour (about 450 miles per hour).

They tend to rush down the slopes of stratovolcanoes, the mountainous types responsible for the most explosive eruptions. Sometimes, when the ratio of gas to ash is higher, they are referred to as “pyroclastic surges.” These currents are so dense that have been known to actually go up hill and across water, not just downslope. In short, if you see one coming towards you, there’s no escape unless you have an extremely agile helicopter.

Assuming you’re on the ground, you’ll first encounter the intense heat riding at the front of the flow. If it’s a surge, you will instantly combust; your skin will rupture and becoming blackened by the severe heat of the gas before most of the ash even touches you microseconds later.

Even hiding inside a building won’t save you. When a surge passes by, the temperature of the air in the environment around it will be about 300°C (570°F), enough to destroy anything living within mere moments. Any fabric you have on will quickly burn away, and if you’re wearing any metal, it’ll sear itself into your skin for as long as it is still intact.

Human remains of the victims of the 79 BC's Vesuvio Volcan eruption are lightened at the Pompeii Archaeological Site on August 6, 2011 as part of the show ''The Moons of Pompeii.'' The new version of the show is held every weekend since May 7 until the end of October. AFP PHOTO/MARIO LAPORTA (Photo credit should read MARIO LAPORTA/AFP/Getty Images)


A flow isn’t much better, as you’ll be sautéed as soon as the ash front hits you. In both cases, your muscles will suddenly contract, and you’ll curl up into something resembling a pugilistic pose. The ash and gas will rush into your airways and, if you had time to live after the extreme heat boiled off your internal organs, you’d quickly asphyxiate.

Some of the famous Vesuvian victims in Pompeii and Herculaneum were found with their skulls blown apart. It appears that the heat of the surge was so extreme that their brains boiled, releasing trapped gases so quickly that it blew apart their heads.

Either way, all that would be left of you would be a charred skeleton – if you’re lucky.

Generally speaking, there are two types of pyroclastic flows.

The first forms when an ash column emerging from an eruption catastrophically falls back to Earth. Perhaps the gas content of the magma has dropped and the explosive, decompressive thrust at the volcano's vent runs out of power. Maybe the turbulent ash column mixes in too much cold air, or the lava in the column has cooled down too much. Either way, when the ash plume suddenly becomes denser than the surrounding air, it collapses and falls back onto itself, producing pyroclastic flows.

For the second, rarer type, we need to go back to Mount St Helens as it was back in May 1980. This volcano didn’t just erupt out of its vent at the summit; a huge internal pressure build up had nowhere to go but sideways, and the volcano obliterated itself by forcing its contents out of its side in a devastating lateral blast.

Human remains of the victims of the 79 BC's Vesuvio Volcan eruption are lightened at the Pompeii Archaeological Site on August 6, 2011 as part of the show ''The Moons of Pompeii.'' The new version of the show is held every weekend since May 7 until the end of October. AFP PHOTO/MARIO LAPORTA (Photo credit should read MARIO LAPORTA/AFP/Getty Images)

Plenty of hikers, journalists, volcanologists and indeed civilians have met their ends at the hands of a pyroclastic flow. They are indiscriminate killers, wiping out anything and anyone in their path – well, unless your name was Ludger Sylbaris.

Sylbaris was living on the French-Caribbean island of Martinique in 1902. Although accounts differ as to why, he was imprisoned for a serious offence in the city of St. Pierre on the night of May 7. He was thrown into solitary confinement; his cell was both windowless and underground. It was even reinforced with bombproof walls in order to make sure he couldn’t escape.

Then, at breakfast time the very next day, Martinique's Mt. Pelée erupted and blackened the sky with a terrifying, apocalyptic ash cloud. When this collapsed, pyroclastic flows formed and rushed down into the city, completely flattening it and killing all 40,000 people living there.

Everyone was turned into dust – everyone, of course, except for the man in the bombproof cell. Although he was badly burned, he survived, and was rescued from the rubble four days later. He was pardoned of his crimes, and joined Barnum & Bailey’s travelling circus, where he was known as the man who lived through Doomsday.

KARO, NORTH SUMATRA, INDONESIA - JUNE 19: Residents look to sky as Mount Sinabung spews pyroclastic smoke, seen from Simpang Empat village on June 19, 2015 in Karo District, North Sumatra, Indonesia. According to The National Disaster Mitigation Agency, more than 10,000 villagers have fled their homes since the authorities raised the alert status of Mount Sinabung erupting to the highest level. (Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images)

 

[futureshock]

Apocalypse signs from ‘Italian Nostradamus’ reveal themselves 500 years later
JANUARY 12, 20171:34PM

Fears of an apocalypse as prophecy comes true

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QUIT your job and blow all your savings while you can, because apparently the end of the world is nigh.

Warning signs of a 500-year-old prophecy on the apocalypse are starting to reveal themselves, sparking fears among conspiracy theorists and the superstitious that we’re all doomed.

Italian philosopher Matteo Tafuri — who lived from 1492 to 1582 — was one of the most revered personalities of Italy’s Apulia region.

In the 16th century, he warned two consecutive days of snow would ruin the resort of Salento in the lead-up to the apocalypse.

Snow is a rarity in the Southern Italian region, which is well-known for its mild climate.

The “Italian Nostradamus” predicted: “Salento of palm trees and mild south wind, snowy Salento but never after the touch.

“Two days of snow, two flashes in the sky, I know the world ends, but I do not yearn.”

As we speak, an unusual pattern of freak snowstorms is currently sweeping across the region.

Salento in southern Italy is uncharacteristically blanketed in snow, in line with a disturbing prediction made centuries ago

According to Inquisitr, it’s believed the “two flashes” mentioned in Tafuri’s prophecy could be in reference to a supervolcano eruption.

Last month, scientists warned that the Campi Flegrei supervolcano may be waking up and approaching a “critical state”, in a move that could cause worldwide destruction comparable to a large asteroid impact.

Campi Flegrei — or “burning fields” in Italian — is an extensive volcanic area, in west of Naples, Italy.

Known as one of the world’s most dangerous volcanoes, it has been lying dormant for 500 years.

But over the past decade, it’s been experiencing an “uplift”, which suggests the volatile gases beneath it are rising to the surface at an accelerating rate.

Campi Flegrei is one of the world’s most dangerous volcanoes

Conspiracy theorists have connected Tafuri’s prediction to recent reports that tears were seen coming from the eyes of a painting of the Virgin Mary at The Church of the Holy Archangel Michael in Trubarevo, Macedonia.

Risto Setinov, the president of the local church board, said: “When the priest finished his Sunday morning service, one believer noticed a few drops coming from the left eye of the Virgin.

“Father Boban took some wool and wiped it, smelt it and said it smelled of Holy myrrh. After that, a few more drops came down the face of the icon.

“We remained in the church all day and the drops kept appearing.”

Tears coming from the Madonna are traditionally seen as a warning of impending disaster

So, there you have it. Extremely reliable evidence has concluded that we will soon be naught but dust.

On the plus side, this means today is technically your last day at work.

Anyone for celebratory pub drinks before our imminent collective death?

 

[BDR]

Oh, I didn't mean in our lifetime, but I think it may be sooner than 100k. One scientist said in about 4k or so.

Good my black ass won't be here anyway and besides hopefully these filthy humans evole mentally by then to make another planet their home

 

[Dirtylakerie]

that volcano lightening looks nice

 

[big enos burrnet]

thats wild shit right ther....

 

[saundman]

Just say NO to European Refugees

 

[4 Dimensional]

These are the explosive images of some of the worlds most astonishing volcanic eruptions. Spectacular snaps capture lava spewing down the side of Kilauea, ash spitting from craters and plumes of smoke rising thousands of feet in the air

Stunning.

Do your thing Mother Nature. Remind the world who runs shit around here.

 

[4 Dimensional]

My top natural earth disasters

5) hurricanes
4) tornadoes
3) volcanoes
2) floods
1) equakes/tsunamis

Honorable mentions
Wildfires, droughts and heatwaves

 

[Sango]

So, if in Italy, leave?

 

[Coldchi]

Could never get my science project volcano to do this... Think I was using too much baking soda..

mother nature aint playin wit yall niggaz.
man is that shit even real??
looks like some shit from the matrix

 

[woodchuck]

Do your thing Mother Nature. Remind the world who runs shit around here.

"Y'all musta forgot!" - Mother Nature

 

[4 Dimensional]

"Y'all musta forgot!" - Mother Nature

Mother Nature Jones Jr. says humans just tenants, not permanent residents.

 

[cashwhisperer]

WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!!!!!!!!!!.....


......at some point