The source of the greatest explosion in the history of the World…stirs from its long slumber.
Article, with photos.
Background–
Let us hope there will be no repeats of past performances.
Biggest explosion in the history of the world? Haven’t there been several explosions of supercalderas that even caused extintion-level events?
Those are pre-History.
Well, slumber is a relative term, as there have been frequent minor eruptions there for decades. At least one of the photos in the OP’s link is actually from 2007, not more recently. Nevertheless, there does seem to have been increasing activity in the past couple of months, although not enough to make the most recent Smithsonian/USGS weekly volcanic activity report. Looks like we’re a bit short of an earth-shattering kaboom as yet.
Here’s a summary of the more significant activityat Krakatau over the past few years.
Picture #6 looks like Burning Man. Thanks for the link, for the pictures alone.
Maybe people will finally realize that despite the title of that stupid 1969 movie, Krakatoa is actually west of Java.
Of course, even if Krakatoa does go pop, it’ll look like a baby’s fart compared to the giant Yellowstone kablooey that’s coming up soon…
Define “soon”. :dubious:
Yeah, that one’ll make the WTC attack seem like a mosquito bite.
I’m comforted by the thought, however, that if it happens soon, it will cover Dick Cheney’s house in molten lava before it gets to anyone I actually know.
And Cheney, as he’s being burned alive, will shout out that THIS was the attack he’d be warning us was coming, and that Obama did nothing to prevent…
And now back to your regularly scheduled MPSIMS thread about Krakatoa. (I recommend Simon Winchester’s book, btw. Very compelling–a little boring and digressive at points, but full of information.)
“Yellowstone’s cousins are worth watching. The last supereruption at the Long Valley caldera in eastern California was 760,000 years ago. Another would be devastating, but as at Yellowstone, major cities are distant enough to avoid being completely buried. Elsewhere, some giant calderas are frightfully close to urban areas. Lake Taal in the Philippines is only 40 miles from Manila. In Italy the rim of Campi Flegrei lies only five miles from central Naples. The last near-supereruption there came 35,000 years ago; a much smaller one killed 24 in 1538. Pizza napoletana on my next Italian tour? Sure. But make mine to go.”
Awesome pictures.
A geological question: doesn’t that eruption seem more healthy and mellow (relatively speaking) and less like a ‘blow the mountain into the stratosphere’ type cataclysm?
“Soon” geologically. Although as the links above indicate, the land does seem to have filled out a little recently.
I knew once they moved the Volcano from east of, to west of Java all the trouble would start. 
Didn’t Jerry donate money to Kramers “Save the Kratatoans” or some charity like that to impress Elaine and the charity was a scam…
…And now back to your regularly scheduled thread.
While back packing through South East Asia In the mid seventies, I took a ship from Sumatra to Jakarta in Indonesia. The ship passed fairly close to Krakatoa. It was smoking pretty good.
You have thoughts? How uncomforting.
So, I’m guessing you don’t care for Mr. Cheney? Just a guess.
[moderating]
Let’s not turn this thread into either politics or personal insults, okay?
No warnings issued, but please take this elsewhere.
[/moderating]
I strongly recommend Simon Winchester’s Krakatoa, the day the earth exploded - as well as just about everything else he has written. Very well written and goes into depth on everything related to Krakatoa, from the spice trade, to plate techtonics, and more.