Are you worried about an Eruption of Yellowstone?

[marions ghost]

Poll question: Are you worried about an Eruption of Yellowstone?

If you know nothing about this, go to:
http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/supervolcano/under/under.html
(this site has upcoming air dates and times for "Supervolcano")

Scientists say that Yellowstone could blow big someday. (I only found this out last week). It would be far worse than the tsunami in Sumatra and is more likely than an asteroid. Technically it is "overdue." Eruption of Yellowstone would be a BIG distraction from our present worries. (After 9-11 and the recent elections, it IS possible to imagine the unthinkable...) So what do you make of this cult of the Mother of All Volcanic Eruptions? Should we expect the government to prepare a contingency plan? Is this as important as bioterrorism? Should we suddenly learn to grow food even without any aptitude for farming? Begin sacrifices to the volcano gods NOW?

Or is it all just so much Volcano Dreaming, watching the Discovery Channel in your favorite armchair? ZZZZZZZZZZZZ :nuke:

[Demeter]

1. If This Were Possible, I Think It Would Have Been Better Known

in more reputable forms of information.

[Ediacara]

2. I live in Montana

I am a student in the Earth Sciences Dept at a University. I have no plans to suddenly move to Europe, and neither does anyone else. No need for worry.

[marions ghost]

4. Thanks for the reassurance

...so would we get a lot of warning--like years?

[mcscajun]

3. Not concerned at all. Here's why.

a) we have no idea When it will happen.
b) there's absolutely Nothing we can do about it.

Might happen tomorrow. Highly unlikely.
Might happen ten years from now...or a thousand.

Geologic time is so, so different from our time, even 'overdue' is subject to distortion.

I saw the Discovery Channel piece a while back; it was fascinating, but in the end I was ticked...they really just love doing the CGI stuff to scare the shit out of you, about something that may never happen while we are alive, and for which there is no defense.

[marions ghost]

7. yes you are correct in questioning the term "overdue"

1. Here is a site that explains the "overdue" problem better than I can: http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/yvo/faqs4.html

2. Here is a site that talks about the psychological effects of "mega-disaster" scenarios (this is more my area of interest), and your post speaks to that also.

http://jscms.jrn.columbia.edu/cns/2005-04-05/bario-supervolcano

(excerpt)
"Natural disasters, including potentially cataclysmic events like a Yellowstone super-eruption, can’t be controlled and don’t create the same sense of dread as something like a terrorist threat, Slovic says.
“If there was evidence that a terrorist with a dirty bomb were lurking in Yellowstone, even if the resulting destruction is far smaller, you can bet there would be tremendous concern,” he said.
People aren’t likely to panic if they think there is nothing they can do about a potential disaster, according to Linda Aldoory, director of the Center for Risk Communication and Research at the University of Maryland. Someone is much more likely to pay attention to a threat if they are told that steps can be taken to avert it, she says.
“If it’s just, ‘this could happen and we’re all going to die,’ research has shown that people tend to tune the information out,” Aldoory said. “But if you tell me that my child’s stroller has a tiny chance of having a defect, even if it’s less than that of an asteroid hitting the earth, the first thing I’m going to do is to chuck that stroller.”

[libhill]

10. Damn 'em

And I spent all that time and money, building a shelter and stocking up on food and fire arms. What the hell do I do with my Scud Missile Launcher?

[Borgnine]

5. I'm midly concerned.

It would be a disaster if it occured, and I'd hate to think of losing the beauty that is Yellowstone. Then again, that's nature for you.

[agates]

6. Exactly

The beuaty of Yellowstone, today, is because this happened more than once in the distant past.

[Robeson]

8. I didn't realize there are Democrats who live in Wyoming?

...:hide:

[marions ghost]

9. National Geographic Channel on now (10 pm EST)

Supervolcano on now (eastern)

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/channel/ET/daily/daily.html

10P Naked Science
Super Volcano
Also airs: Thursday, April 7
Sunday, April 10

[GiovanniC]

11. My Grandmother and My Aunt Are Two of the Eight People Who Live In Wyoming

So I'm concerned in that regard.