Supervolcano

[STONEISLAND]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/tvradio/prog...no/index.shtml

A super-eruption would equal the force of 1,000 Hiroshima atomic bombs exploding every second.
You could fit Tokyo, the world's biggest city, in Yellowstone's super-volcanic crater.
Three super-eruptions at Yellowstone appear to have occurred on a 600,000-700,000 year cycle starting 2.1 million years ago. The most recent took place 640,000 years ago – suggesting Yellowstone is overdue for an eruption.

Did anyone see this lastnight?

Very very scary

Will it happen in are life time?

[zoombini]

I did, I have the "about yellowstone" from BBC2 just after recorded to watch later.
Tonights the last bit, I expect some nice graphic displays.

Talking of, that hollographic display of the underground looked cool..(well, actually quite hot!)

[Damien]

Yeah, Horizon did a thing oon it a while ago. Wanna go to yellowstone now

[STONEISLAND]

Originally Posted by Damien

Yeah, Horizon did a thing oon it a while ago. Wanna go to yellowstone now

Are you crazy? Sods law it would go off if I was there.

How would it affect the UK if it did go off? Or is it just the US that would face a black out? (allmost)

[BBKing]

Been fascinated by this one since reading about it in Bill Bryson's book a couple of years ago - it would affect everybody if it went off, since the USA would be split in half, large amounts of grain growing areas in North America (including Canada) would be out of commission for some years, global temperatures would drop rather a lot (which would put an end to global warming I suppose). Aircraft worldwide would be grounded for a while - flying through volcanic ash is guaranteed to give you a painful time.

As far as we're concerned, the EU would have to scrap all the deals to keep land out of agriculture, we'd have to put a lot of effort into growing way more food and probably donate a lot to the US and Canada (who'd have to get used to a rather healthier diet with fewer calories in). We'd need ships to get it over there and a lot of effort to clear roads to the centre of the country (bearing in mind that bridges will be down due to weight of ash, which is effectively like a thick layer of concrete if it becomes wet).

I think we'd survive all right, but the geopolitical impact of the USA being wiped off the map for 20 years or so would be frightening - I can imagine Osama and co. jumping for joy and taking it as a sign of God's blessing or some such rot.

[STONEISLAND]

I guess when the talking 100'000's of years I'm sure it will stall at least another 100 years or even 10'000 it still would not be in are life time.

I hope.

[NitroNutter]

Originally Posted by skunk4u

Are you crazy? Sods law it would go off if I was there.

How would it affect the UK if it did go off? Or is it just the US that would face a black out? (allmost)

its pretty much a world killer, well not the world but most of what lives on it.

those several medium volcanoes will suddenly become one big huge volcano and bam a dust cloud so big it consumes the skies and earth all over leaving some minor pockets untouched.

Even Osama might not be around to jump for joy if it should happen to occur during our lifetime.

[Xaccers]

Investing in non US grain would be a good idea.
Someone I know put £4K in US grain as a safe investment while he went away on holiday for a month.
Shortly after Chernobyl blew and he made an absolute fortune because the stock market thought half the world's grain would be wiped out.

[Halcyon]

I misse dit.
Il make sure I catch the final part tonight though.
There is then a documentary about the possibilities of that happening on after on BBC2.

[Paul]

Originally Posted by Halcyon

I misse dit.
Il make sure I catch the final part tonight though.
There is then a documentary about the possibilities of that happening on after on BBC2.

If you really want to see it and can't wait then if you look in the "what are you watching" thread there is a link for Amazon in there where the programme is being released on DVD

[Dave Stones]

that programme on BBC last night was tosh, the documentary one. For all the certainty the scientists had, i could have apepared and cast my "expert opinion" on it

whats the odds that it happens on december 21st 2012 then? along with the pole shift, aliens landing, second coming of jesus, world war 4, and whatever other conspiracy is supposed to happen on this date

i saw a programme abuot yellowstone several years ago, was tied into a programme on "methane burps" from the sea, now those are what you want to watch out for

[TheBlueRaja]

Actually, the difference is that this will blow, its blown 3 times in the past and on average we are 40,000 years overdue for another.

And that part in the documentary about one are of the park rising recently - its true.

That documentary is based on fact - it just takes it one step futher and shows you what will happen when it blows its top.

Most of this was in Horizon a while ago, and it was also recently in New Scientist as well.

[AndrewJ]

Not forgetting the asteroid and everything else,

[Dave Stones]

Originally Posted by TheBlueRaja

Actually, the difference is that this will blow, its blown 3 times in the past and on average we are 40,000 years overdue for another.

And that part in the documentary about one are of the park rising recently - its true.

That documentary is based on fact - it just takes it one step futher and shows you what will happen when it blows its top.

Most of this was in Horizon a while ago, and it was also recently in New Scientist as well.

yeah maybe, but all the scientists sitting scratching their beards and going "well, it *could* blow up sometime soon, it could be tomorrow, it could be another 100,000 years, we just don't know..." seems a little... vague... for a documentary if you ask me

scaremongering maybe? or subliminally preparing the masses for something that the government knows is gonna happen next week?

[Nemesis]

Originally Posted by Dave Stones

<snip> ... world war 4,

Did I miss the 3rd one then