It is no secret that volcanic activity has helped to shape our history, and throughout history certain volcanic activity has created great changes in our land masses, and populations. How have Volcanoes helped to shape human history?
Indonesia has the title of the "land of fire," with its vast islands of volcanoes dotting around the whole island archipelago. In 1815 Tambora blew, and still is the most powerful eruption recorded in recent history. The Island was destroyed, tens of thousands perished, the sea bed moved, but the global effect was the effect of the volcanic ash on the weather- temperatures dropped almost 1oc, and Europe, the Americas suffered massive crop failures.
In 1991 when Mount Pina tubo erupted in the Philippines, global temperatures dropped half a degree as volcanic ash blocked the sunlight. More recently the continued eruptions of in Iceland, disrupted global flights. Leading to Europe canceling flights for weeks, and the ash from continuous eruptions continue today to disrupt some flights from Europe.
Old Norse Legend talks of life coming from Volcanoes, and many scientists openly state we originate from the particles from ancient volcanic activity. Without these mighty mountains of fire, we might not be here.
But as volcanoes are a fact of life, they have influenced the way we live. Crops from the volcanically-rich soils grow faster than any other crop in the World. Around Indonesia's fabled Dieng Plateau in Central Java, organic vegetables are grown for export to Europe.
What is more frightening is the fact that mass extinctions are partly the fault of volcanic activity. Dinosaurs could have been wiped out because of continued volcanic activity, whilst some experts claim that ten thousand years ago the eruption of the super volcano- Lake Toba in Indonesia- may of contributed to the near extinction of the human race.
Lake Toba still remains dormant- now a popular tourist resort, and the fabled birthplace of the proud "Bataks, " but could explode again. A dangerous and volatile giant, ready to unleash the power of more than a dozen atomic bombs, when it does.
Volcanoes bring both life and death to our planet. Their soil provides a bounty of crops, whilst the fire within them shapes our landmasses, and we learn to use the geothermal energy from them. But they are also a living symbol that we are beyond controlling nature, and we are both blessed and cursed with living alongside volcanoes.
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