homehome Home chatchat Notifications


Largest Active Volcano on Earth shows Signs of Life

Recent swarms of tiny earthquakes inside Hawaii’s Mauna Loa signal that the volcano may be coming back to life. But don’t cancel your vacation plans just yet. Mauna Loa is one of five volcanoes that form the Island of Hawaii in the U.S. It is the largest subaerial volcano in both mass and volume, and […]

Mihai Andrei
June 18, 2014 @ 5:58 pm

share Share

Recent swarms of tiny earthquakes inside Hawaii’s Mauna Loa signal that the volcano may be coming back to life. But don’t cancel your vacation plans just yet.

Mauna Loa.

Mauna Loa is one of five volcanoes that form the Island of Hawaii in the U.S. It is the largest subaerial volcano in both mass and volume, and has historically been considered the largest volcano on Earth. It’s been probably erupting for about 700.000 years, though it emerged above sea level “only” 400.000 years ago. The last time it erupted was in 1984, but caused only minor damage.

Now, researchers monitoring Mauna Loa reported four earthquake swarms, at shallow depths (above 15 kilometers), in the same places where they were reported in 1984. But it wasn’t just earthquakes that heralded the eruption in 1984 – so there’s no reason to fear yet.

Before the eruption took place, geologists also reported swelling on the surface of the volcano and gas coming out of the volcano’s cracks. None of these has been reported now. No significant ground deformation, no gas emissions – so while there is some pressure building up in the magma chamber, there is no definite indication of an incoming eruption.

“GPS and tilt networks did not record any changes in deformation rates or patterns that were significantly above the error of the measurements during May. Southeasterly motion of the south flank continued.”, the USGS report stated.

Meanwhile, you can keep an eye on Mauna Loa using the livecams set up by the USGS.

 

 

 

 

 

share Share

China Resurrected an Abandoned Soviet 'Sea Monster' That's Part Airplane, Part Hovercraft

The Soviet Union's wildest aircraft just got a second life in China.

A Rocket Carried Cannabis Seeds and 166 Human Remains into Space But Their Capsule Never Made It Back

The spacecraft crashed into the Pacific Ocean after a parachute failure, ending a bold experiment in space biology and memorial spaceflight.

Ancient ‘Zombie’ Fungus Trapped in Amber Shows Mind Control Began in the Age of the Dinosaurs

The zombie fungus from the age of the dinosaurs.

Your browser lets websites track you even without cookies

Most users don't even know this type of surveillance exists.

What's Seasonal Body Image Dissatisfaction and How Not to Fall into Its Trap

This season doesn’t have to be about comparison or self-criticism.

Why a 20-Minute Nap Could Be Key to Unlocking 'Eureka!' Moments Like Salvador Dalí

A 20-minute nap can boost your chances of a creative breakthrough, according to new research.

The world's oldest boomerang is even older than we thought, but it's not Australian

The story of the boomerang goes back in time even more.

Swarms of tiny robots could go up your nose, melt the mucus and clean your sinuses

The "search-and-destroy” microrobot system can chemically shred the resident bacterial biofilm.

What if Every Roadkill Had a Memorial?

Road ecology, the scientific study of how road networks impact ecosystems, presents a perfect opportunity for community science projects.

Fireball Passes Over Southeastern United States

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s… a bolide!