# Yellowstone's gonna blow! We're all doooooooooomed! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 31, 2008, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yellowstones-gonna-blow-were-all-doooooooooomed/479304 "2008-12-31T01:19:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2009, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yellowstones-gonna-blow-were-all-doooooooooomed/479304/81 "2009-01-01T10:04:37Z")
C’mon guys, if there is one thing science fiction has taught us, it’s that the minute we elect an African American president, we are in danger of a megadisaster. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2009, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yellowstones-gonna-blow-were-all-doooooooooomed/479304/82 "2009-01-01T10:34:40Z")
> [@WarmNPrickly](#): > > C’mon guys, if there is one thing science fiction has taught us, it’s that the minute we elect an African American president, we are in danger of a megadisaster. Like 24! _tick_ _tock_ ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2009, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yellowstones-gonna-blow-were-all-doooooooooomed/479304/83 "2009-01-01T12:22:11Z")
The Yellowstone caldera girded its mighty loins and prepared to post the biggest threadshit ever to the messageboard Earth. ---
**Author:** ![Scuba\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2009, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yellowstones-gonna-blow-were-all-doooooooooomed/479304/84 "2009-01-01T15:43:44Z")
You’ve still got the gift, **Boyo Jim**. Happy new year! ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2009, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yellowstones-gonna-blow-were-all-doooooooooomed/479304/85 "2009-01-01T16:33:13Z")
> [@Tuckerfan](#): > > The truth is that God hates **figs**. Figs are, after all, fruits. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2009, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yellowstones-gonna-blow-were-all-doooooooooomed/479304/86 "2009-01-01T16:54:10Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > The Yellowstone caldera girded its mighty loins and prepared to post the biggest threadshit ever to the messageboard Earth. talk about hot and bothered on a whole nother level 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2009, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yellowstones-gonna-blow-were-all-doooooooooomed/479304/87 "2009-01-01T23:40:09Z")
> [@1010011010](#): > > It seems the larger stuff has gone deep. Which, as I understand, it not good. Not very big, but there was a 2.4 all the way down at 37 kilometers this afternoon. The core itself is probably headed towards Wyoming. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2009, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yellowstones-gonna-blow-were-all-doooooooooomed/479304/88 "2009-01-01T23:54:43Z")
> [@Olentzero](#): > > **Anne Neville** , I think money could be made from anthropology/paleogeology/other similar types of geek via a T-shirt that says “My ancestors survived Toba and all I got was this lousy T-shirt”. I’d buy one. ---
**Author:** ![moonstarssun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@moonstarssun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moonstarssun)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yellowstones-gonna-blow-were-all-doooooooooomed/479304/89 "2009-01-02T00:07:13Z")
Sigh. Leave it to middle America to fuck things up for the rest of the world. First we play a huge role in putting W into office, then we vomit lava and ash all over the place. It’s no wonder we have a bad reputation. ---
**Author:** ![1010011010](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/ea666f/32.png) [@1010011010](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1010011010)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yellowstones-gonna-blow-were-all-doooooooooomed/479304/90 "2009-01-02T00:11:46Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > Not very big, but there was a 2.4 all the way down at 37 kilometers this afternoon. I noticed that one, but the location data was listed as “Poor”. It wasn’t in the same place as most of the others, so I’m not sure if that means there’s not as much instrumentation in that area or if they couldn’t get a fix on that one. ---
**Author:** ![Rack-a-Bones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rack-a-Bones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rack-a-Bones)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yellowstones-gonna-blow-were-all-doooooooooomed/479304/91 "2009-01-02T01:33:01Z")
Any hope of there being some kind of volcano series of tubes and Mt St Helens blows next and then Seattle will be an exclusive island? Or are we just gonna sink into the Puget Sound? ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yellowstones-gonna-blow-were-all-doooooooooomed/479304/92 "2009-01-02T02:22:19Z")
> [@Rack-a-Bones](#): > > Any hope of there being some kind of volcano series of tubes and Mt St Helens blows next and then Seattle will be an exclusive island? Or are we just gonna sink into the Puget Sound? You should be more concerned about Mount Rainier than Mount St. Helens. ---
**Author:** ![Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dread_pirate_jimbo/32/3897_2.png) [@Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dread_Pirate_Jimbo)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yellowstones-gonna-blow-were-all-doooooooooomed/479304/93 "2009-01-02T07:35:18Z")
Well, I sure am glad we saw Old Faithful a couple years ago, so I can now say I saw it before the friggin’ thing blew us all to hell. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Disgusting](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e495f1/32.png) [@Disgusting](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disgusting)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yellowstones-gonna-blow-were-all-doooooooooomed/479304/94 "2009-01-02T07:57:08Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > [Doooooooooooooooooomed!!!](http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hklq5saMBlMynv31EbfNSka-SpOwD95COBD00) > > Note that the park spokesman’s “nothing to worry about” is about the quakes, not the potential for catastrophic eruption! > > Dooooooooooooooomed! I hope it doesn’t release any nasty C02. Al Gore will get upset. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yellowstones-gonna-blow-were-all-doooooooooomed/479304/95 "2009-01-02T08:05:00Z")
> [@Disgusting](#): > > I hope it doesn’t release any nasty C02. Al Gore will get upset. The manbearpigs it releases will probably make him blow his top. ---
**Author:** ![Jaglavak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/85f322/32.png) [@Jaglavak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaglavak)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yellowstones-gonna-blow-were-all-doooooooooomed/479304/96 "2009-01-02T10:50:23Z")
Analysis of the Toba eruption indicates the mechanism below ground is a truly gigantic lava chamber that is filled from a hot spot below. The eruption event for an extra grande one like this would look like: Lava chamber filling to capacity causing ground uplift Basaltic lava melting away lower melting point chamber ceiling, lava lamp style A popped seam somewhere partially emptying the lava chamber The roof of the lava chamber, no longer supported by lava, suddenly collapses. Either immediately or within a day or two. The entire contents of the lava chamber are explosively erupted by the sudden uncorking as well as the huge chunks of ceiling crashing down. Mostly in the form of ash\*. The chamber ceiling could also just collapse suddenly. The quake swarm may be the beginnings, or it may just be indigestion. No way to tell right now. But if there is a significant precursor eruption at Yellowstone you might want to move in a directly awayward direction, at least for a few days. - Volcanic ash is composed of little needles of glass. When you breath the ash, those little needles get lodged in your lungs and cuts them up. If you get enough of the stuff you drown. I gotta think that would sting a bit. One of the handy items in my emergency kit is an OSHA type respirator. ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yellowstones-gonna-blow-were-all-doooooooooomed/479304/97 "2009-01-02T13:31:13Z")
Meh, everybody knows it’s not dangerous until the rogue outsider scientist tries to warn everybody on the grounds of some non-mainstream theories that have earned him nothing but scorn and ridicule from the scientific community. We’re safe until some geologist gets laughed out of a press conference. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yellowstones-gonna-blow-were-all-doooooooooomed/479304/98 "2009-01-02T14:06:36Z")
> [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](#): > > Meh, everybody knows it’s not dangerous until the rogue outsider scientist tries to warn everybody on the grounds of some non-mainstream theories that have earned him nothing but scorn and ridicule from the scientific community. We’re safe until some geologist gets laughed out of a press conference. And we can expect to go through the whole thing again in 2 years, but with better production values and shittier writing. ---
**Author:** ![Unintentionally\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unintentionally_blank/32/5418_2.png) [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yellowstones-gonna-blow-were-all-doooooooooomed/479304/99 "2009-01-02T15:14:35Z")
So what **Jaglavak** is saying is…it’s like a great big Zit! What I don’t understand though, from a Structural Engineering point of view, is if the roof _collapses_ due to it not being supported by lava, where’s all the explosive stuff come from? I’d think it would have to burst due to it’s inability to _contain_ the pressures of the lava below. I look forward to the rerun of the Discovery Channel show, which posits it’s idea in the first 1:30, then pads out the rest of the hour with ‘Decompressive Pyroclastic Flow!’ (brought to you by the makers of Pepto Bismol…coats, soothes… relieves!) ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yellowstones-gonna-blow-were-all-doooooooooomed/479304/100 "2009-01-02T15:17:52Z")
Would there be no way of drilling in to a volcano to release pressure more gradually, and perhaps even harnessing that energy? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yellowstones-gonna-blow-were-all-doooooooooomed/479304.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yellowstones-gonna-blow-were-all-doooooooooomed/479304.md?page=6)