Science May Predict the Day of the Next Mount St. Helens Eruption

Scientists have long known the approximate time a volcano blows its stack, but what if we could pinpoint an eruption?

We may be getting close, and science may also get a better handle on severity.

We Could Save a Lot of Lives

The 45^th anniversary of Mount St. Helens’ cataclysmic blast passed a few days ago.  I was a senior in high school and remember the warnings had been coming in for months.  But there were a lot of people caught by surprise by the ferocity, and they lost their lives.

Some couldn’t simply stop working and wait out, perhaps several more months of what could’ve been a mild event.

Click on this link to get some more details.

This is Also Good for Business and Industry

If we can get a better idea of the timing and severity, a lot of people could heed the warning, and the damage to the local economy could be somewhat contained.  Of course, if we had an idea about the day the Yellowstone Caldera would blow, I’m not so sure it would provide much comfort.  The damage is expected to be almost continent-wide.  Life wouldn’t be very blissful while we await the big boom!

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We’re not anywhere near the technology you might see employed in Star Trek.  Where a ship in space fires a projectile through the planet’s crust and calms the cooking.  But maybe we’re getting closer with each baby step.

Of course, the sooner the better, especially when it comes to something that could disrupt life across North America for decades.

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