Yellowstone Mega-Volcano: Who Needs An Asteroid Anyway?
Thanos @ Thu Oct 12, 2017 1:12 pm
Faster please. 
http://www.foxnews.com/science/2017/10/ ... nkind.html
$1:
Arizona State University researchers have analyzed minerals around the supervolcano at Yellowstone National Park and have come to a startling conclusion. It could blow much faster than previously expected, potentially wiping out life as we know it.
According to National Geographic, the researchers, Hannah Shamloo and Christy Till, analyzed minerals in fossilized ash from the most recent eruption. What they discovered surprised them – the changes in temperature and composition only took a few decades, much faster than the centuries previously thought.
“We expected that there might be processes happening over thousands of years preceding the eruption,” said Till said in an interview with the New York Times.
The supervolcano last erupted about 630,000 years ago, according to National Geographic. Prior to that, it was 1.3 million years ago, per a report from ZME Science.
If another eruption were to take place, the researchers found that the supervolcano would spare almost nothing in its wrath. It would shoot 2,500 times more material than Mount St. Helen did in 1980 and could cover most of the continguous U.S. in ash, possibly putting the planet into a volcanic winter.
According to National Geographic, the researchers, Hannah Shamloo and Christy Till, analyzed minerals in fossilized ash from the most recent eruption. What they discovered surprised them – the changes in temperature and composition only took a few decades, much faster than the centuries previously thought.
“We expected that there might be processes happening over thousands of years preceding the eruption,” said Till said in an interview with the New York Times.
The supervolcano last erupted about 630,000 years ago, according to National Geographic. Prior to that, it was 1.3 million years ago, per a report from ZME Science.
If another eruption were to take place, the researchers found that the supervolcano would spare almost nothing in its wrath. It would shoot 2,500 times more material than Mount St. Helen did in 1980 and could cover most of the continguous U.S. in ash, possibly putting the planet into a volcanic winter.
BartSimpson @ Thu Oct 12, 2017 1:14 pm
I forget who it is but one of our members lives near Jellystone.
Vbeacher @ Thu Oct 12, 2017 1:25 pm
The term 'near' is kind of meaningless given if the thing blows most of North America is going to be covered in several feet of ash.
Thanos @ Thu Oct 12, 2017 1:31 pm
The ash and sulfuric fumes into the upper atmosphere that triggers a two decades-long winter followed by torrential acid rain will be the real mega-killer with a one-two punch. No more griping about global warming to put up with though afterwards. Ah, hell, it's not like we don't all deserve it. 
Vbeacher @ Thu Oct 12, 2017 1:45 pm
Thanos Thanos:
The ash and sulfuric fumes into the upper atmosphere that triggers a two decades-long winter followed by torrential acid rain will be the real mega-killer with a one-two punch. No more griping about global warming to put up with though afterwards. Ah, hell, it's not like we don't all deserve it.
Maybe you deserve it but I happen to be a wonderful human being.
Thanos @ Thu Oct 12, 2017 1:48 pm
We're all (well, most of us) OK individually but that isn't enough to erase any of the collective species-wide existential guilt. I think about these things a lot. That's why I'm so popular at parties. 
Strutz @ Thu Oct 12, 2017 3:46 pm
National Geographic site has more on this
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/10/yellowstone-supervolcano-erupt-faster-thought-science/
It would be an amazing event to behold but I'm kind of hoping to be gone before it happens. The aftermath will be nasty.
It's things such as this that makes most of our everyday concerns seem so petty.
raydan @ Thu Oct 12, 2017 3:50 pm
The best place to be when it blows will probably be sitting on the volcano... short and sweet. 
stratos @ Thu Oct 12, 2017 10:07 pm
BartSimpson BartSimpson:
I forget who it is but one of our members lives near Jellystone.
MeganC? I think she is close but not next door close.