Fukushima and Ebola are nothing compared to Super Volcano

[WildBill]

[/Reuters) - Yellowstone National Park assured guests and the public on Thursday that a super-volcano under the park was not expected to erupt anytime soon, despite an alarmist video that claimed bison had been seen fleeing to avoid such a calamity.

Yellowstone officials, who fielded dozens of calls and emails since the video went viral this week following an earthquake in the park, said the video actually shows bison galloping down a paved road that leads deeper into the park. (To see the video, click on " onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)

"It was a spring-like day and they were frisky. Contrary to online reports, it's a natural occurrence and not the end of the world," park spokeswoman Amy Bartlett said.

Assurances by Yellowstone officials and government geologists that the ancient super-volcano beneath the park is not due to explode for eons have apparently done little to quell fears among the thousands who have viewed recent video postings of the thundering herd.

Commentary with one of the clips by a self-described survivalist wearing camouflage, dark sunglasses and a black watch cap suggests the wildlife exodus may be tied to "an imminent eruption here at Yellowstone."

The 4.8 magnitude earthquake that struck early Sunday near the Norris Geyser Basin in the northwest section of Yellowstone, which spans 3,472 square miles of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho, caused no injuries or damages and did not make any noticeable alterations to the landscape, geologists said.

Though benign by seismic standards, it was the largest to rattle Yellowstone since a 4.8 quake in February 1980 and it occurred near an area of ground uplift tied to the upward movement of molten rock in the super-volcano, whose mouth, or caldera, is 50 miles long and 30 miles wide.

But neither the quake, the largest among hundreds that have struck near the geyser basin in the last seven months, nor the uplift suggest an eruption sooner than tens of thousands of years, said Peter Cervelli, associate director for science and technology at the U.S. Geological Survey's Volcano Science Center in California.

"The chance of that happening in our lifetimes is exceedingly insignificant," said Cervelli, a scientist with the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory.

I hope these are the not the same scientists who predicted global warming.

[SQLGeek]

I think the hypercane is the most fascinating doomsday scenario to me. That would be one heck of a storm.

[philip964]

http://www.kulr8.com/story/25970770/sup ... -is-bigger" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Super volcano is now twice as big as they previously thought. I guess it will kill us twice.

[Beiruty]

Nothing compares to passing by of a blackhole.

[Abraham]

Those of you that are nonstop worrying about that you've no control over should join "Anxious Are Us".

They have a 12 step program.

The first step is to hit yourself with a hammer on a spot of your choice. This step goes a long way in behavior modification therapy...Soon you'll not be worrying at all, ah, except being hit with a hammer...

[boxermoose]

My money is on a sharknado

[mamabearCali]

If I were a betting girl I would go with a pandemic of altered small pox or flu. Anyway. Volcanos are more fun to think about than oozing sores or bloody coughs.

[philip964]

I knew nothing about Yellowstone when I went there, except there were geysers and wildlife. I remember taking a hike and noticed all this lava rock ground cover under the bushes on either side of the trail. I thought it was odd that the parks department had decorated the trails that way. I thought they should have left it natural rather than adding decorative lava pebbles.

[philip964]

http://time.com/3258704/yellowstone-eruption/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Yellowstone eruption would cover the US in ash. Time magazine is showing just why it is just not the magazine it once was.

[esxmarkc]

My money is on a sharknado

If your're talking about a rash of movies so bad they cause lethal brain freeze I agree!

With a name like that I had to watch it. That and it's sequel.

[jmra]

My money is on a sharknado

If your're talking about a rash of movies so bad they cause lethal brain freeze I agree!

With a name like that I had to watch it. That and it's sequel.

Not much different than watching Nacho Libre.

[boxermoose]

Nacho Libra doesn't make you want to run out to buy a chainsaw, propane tank & hiway flares