Did anyone watch the show about the super volcano in Yellowstone?

[jdj]

erupts every 600,000 years. erupted 600,000 years ago. Do the math.
:shrug:


At first I was shocked to hear this, then after looking at shots of Yellowstone with it's geysers steaming and shooting into the air, I thought, well, duh.

[LDS Jock]

1. I've seen it before

Its a very interesting show. When it first started I thought they were over stating the case, then as the show went on, it made more and more sense. Kinda scarey to think about it. Wonder how long til Hollywood comes up with a summer blockbuster about this.

[Amigust]

2. Not holding my breath that it will pop soon enough to save

the planet this time. Mother Earth desparately needs another population thinning.

CO2 rising rapidly in two years. Beginning of RUNAWAY global warming?
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2004/10/12/2003206583

Everything could be very different in as little as ten years.

[Bossy Monkey]

3. I seem to catch this every time it's on, then can't sleep for the next

couple of days.

[burrowowl]

4. 600,000

plus or minus a few thousand or so
Nature's time is not how we perceive time.

[fortyfeetunder]

20. I bet Mother Nature might accelerate her process

If * gets reSelected!

I mean, three killer hurricanes in Florida 2 months before the election, you don't think Mother Nature is pissed yet?

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

5. So someone was there the first time to put a stopwatch on it?

:shrug:

[jdj]

6. Don't know, do ya??

it's popped three times, so it's anyone's guess.

those crazy geologists and their fossils and rock layers, what do they know.

[alittlelark]

7. I watched it w/ hubby and kids.

I worked there, at Lake Hotel, in the 80's - awesome, and dangerous place (2-3 tourists get stupid and poached each year). Info about the magma bubble has been around the web for awhile. The Disc. Channel coverage of it was superficial. Many geologists believe it will blow much sooner. Sad, it is the most beautiful place I have ever lived in. The park, and the planet.

[jdj]

8. Poached?

is it fatal?

edit: (I'm not being facetious) what other planets form your basis for comparison? I'm openminded.

[autorank]

10. Last time it happened major depopulation. Sweet dreams.

Major change in worlds population. Those few left were more distinct racial groups than we have now. Intermarriage at the last blow-up accounts for ultra high correlation of DNA between all the worlds races. Holy shit, we're toast when that sucker goes off.

[lanparty]

12. Going overseas probably wouldn't help ...

Since very few people would survive anyway. Those who DO survive would need underground shelter and a large food supply since the resulting ash cloud will effectively create a "nuclear winter".

[pansypoo53219]

19. well,

i got enough sweaters and enough yarn to make more if need be.
food, now there i may have a problem.

[jdj]

14. yes I got how they were correlating it to population reduction

through mitochondrial DNA. and that guy who does the common father theory has traced the male DNA thing (mito is female) back to some guy in Africa 60,000 years ago. Which don't seem like that long ago compared to this though. I guess it's all relative (hardy har, couldn't resist.)

[alittlelark]

15. Yeah, realistically, I'd rather live close to it

not to sound fatalistic, just realistic.

[alittlelark]

13. There are many paths to travel over some of the basins

they are checked almost daily by rangers. Stupid people travel off the paths, not realizing (Porcelain Basin especially) that what looks like solid ground is but a 1/4 " thick crust over a 100+' chasm into steaming H2O. They don't make it. Some are more fortunate and only poach 1 limb. Some decide to get in the 'hot tubs' late at night - not realizing that the temp can soar 50 degrees in 3 seconds - they often don't make it. If you fall into the dragon area, you are in an acid bath- not good.

The management was really concious of the dangers, and knowing that we would be there for 3 months they warned us to NEVER get into a closed feature - the ones w/ streams feeding in and out were safer - but not to go in thpose either. They were realistic.

[jdj]

16. geez, thanks for replying.

I am scared to go there now. I bet you have alot of really drunk people too.

I thought it was the geysers that were getting them. I read recently about this kid who stood on one and got shot up and dropped on his head. He died.

[alittlelark]

18. I wouldn't go there NOW either.....

...well maybe I would - realistically, if it blows we're all hosed. It is actually quite safe, as long as you stay on the paths. There were drunk people, quite a few were employees! Since it is in Wyoming, the employee bar served 18 and older! Man some of those kids were blathering idiots! Fortunately none of the employees were poached when I was there....but one hit a moose w/ his Vega. The moose was OK - the kid got flown out.

[qnr]

9. I didn't. I have this in my bookmarks though.

Used to have one from Rense.com to, must have deleted that one though

http://exodus2006.worldonline.co.uk/supervol.html

[lanparty]

11. Interesting stuff ...

.... Though, I don't think the geological clock is that "precise".

Have no fear though. If it DOES blow their is nothing anyone in North America can do about it. You'll be dead soon enough!!! Though if the surface of Yellowstone suddenly rises 40 feet, we'll know something is up!!!!!!

[jdj]

17. I don't think I want to know

how long will it be 'for I choke?

I hope it's within seconds of the explosion, but I bet it won't be.

[alittlelark]

21. Depends on where you live.

In the Bay Area, we are quite upwind - I think I would prefer to be downwind.

[lanparty]

23. I'd prefer to be near Yellowstone ...

... death would be instantaneous as one would be shredded by the blast force rather than burned to death by pyroclastic flows or poisoned by gas emissions!!!!

[alittlelark]

25. Yeah, we have a house in Pagosa Springs, CO. I'd prefer to be there

it may not be super close, but it's as close as I'm gonna get.......... Hold on, I would not be suprised if the Bay Area is closer as the crow flies, w/ less mountains to block shock waves ( sorry to sound so negative) I might prefer to be right where I am!

Maybe I should go to sleep now, and have pleasant dreams.

[Occulus]

24. I think you're wrong on that point

The effects of a catastrophic eruption of the Yellowstone supervolcano could be globally devastating.

http://www.cuttingedge.org/news_updates/nz1178.htm

Lots of comfy information on this site, and it agrees with other items I've read on this topic.

For example, the caldera of the volcano takes up an area comprising much of the park.

If this goes, most of us will die. An eruption is currently long overdue, according to this site, by around- surprise!- 40,000 years.

Just something to consider...

[alittlelark]

26. The 'depends on where you live' just means quick or slow.

It depends on where you live.

[Historic NY]

27. I'm on the east coast

Does this mean I should finish off the 50's bomb shelter in my house?
We use it now as a kinda root cellar for apples,potatos, etc. Scarey thought an eruption so large.

[lanparty]

22. Details

http://www.yellowstonenationalpark.com/calderas.htm

[HawkerHurricane]

28. Here we go again.

My father works every summer as a Ranger/Naturalist in Yellowstone.

There are no signs of Yellowstone erupting.

It seems like every 3 months, there's another 'Yellowstone Super Eruption Thread'. And I get to say, 'nope, sorry, not happening'.

The first warning of a eruption will be 10,000 geology majors flooding the park, looking for dissertion material.

The last warning will be those same 10,000 geology majors fleeing for thier lives.

Remember Mt. St. Helens? Months of warnings. Mammoth? Every year or two the U.S. GeoSurvey puts out a warning. Hawaii volcanoes? Warnings constantly. IF the U.S. GeoSurvey thought there would be an eruption, there would be a warning. Very non political group. They've been sued a dozen times over Mammoth. Won every time. It's like suing the weatherman for predicting a hurricane and being wrong, you can't win that case.

[SoCalDem]

29. Yes, I have seen that.. Pretty scary

:scared:

[noonwitch]

30. I took a geology class in college where we discussed this

Plus, I've been to Yellowstone. I think there'll be gradual signs of the caldera reawakening, beyond the ongoing volcanic activity there, like the geysers and the sulfur pools, before any major eruption were to occur. At the least, there would be some earthquakes.

[UpsideDownFlag]

31. hmm, yellowstone? steaming geysers? ever been there before?

half the park is steaming geysers and mud pits. the other half is a large petting zoo. i prefer glacier national park.

[baldguy]

32. There's one in California, too

http://quake.wr.usgs.gov/recenteqs/Maps/Long_Valley.html