Volcanoes pt2

This gonna be a hot episode! Con't

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello listeners, and thank you so much for tuning in
for another episode of The Science Stuff Blow Your Mind Podcasts,
a show dedicated to blow in your mind with science.
You should be aware that today's episode is a continuation
of last week's episode. We got into a topic simply

(00:23):
too big for one episode. We started talking about volcanoes.
If you didn't jecket out, you may want to go back.
You missed a lot. We talked about how volcanoes are formed.
We talked about types of volcanoes, volcanic eruptions, as well

(00:45):
as volcanic activity and monitoring. We talked about historical volcanic
eruptions as well as the hazards of volcanoes spoiler alert
there hot. We talked about how volcanoes affect climate as

(01:06):
well as soil and agriculture and landscapes. We've been talked
about volcanoes and mythology, tourism even today's episode. We're going
to start off with volcanic gases. When volcanoes erupt, they

(01:29):
spew out much more than just lava. They spew out
sulfur dioxide. This gas can form acid rain, contribute to
global cooling and impact human health. Volcanoes also spew out

(01:52):
carbon dioxide. Whilely essential for life, excessive CO two emissions
from volcanoes can lead to dangerous levels of asphyxiation. Volcanoes
release hydrogen sulfide, a toxic gas emitted during eruptions responsible

(02:14):
for the rotten egg smell near active volcanoes and a
volcanic ashes composed of conning rocks. Ash can block sunlight
and lead to respiratory problems. Our deer planet Earth is
not the only place you can find volcanoes. Olympus Mons

(02:39):
is a gargantuan volcano on Mars. It's the largest volcano
in the Solar System, standing over thirteen miles high and
covering an area the size of the state of New Mexico. E,

(03:00):
a moon of Jupiter, has hundreds of active volcanoes, making
it the most geologically active body in the Solar System.
Venus has many large shield volcanoes, and some may still
be active today. Volcanoes are full of rocks and minerals,

(03:24):
such as basalt, a dark, fine grained rock formed from
the cooling of lava. It is the most common rock
found in oceanic crust. Pumpus is a light, porous volcanic
rock formed when gas bubbles are trapped in lava as
it cools quickly. Obsidian is a naturally occurring glass formed

(03:49):
from rapidly cooled lava. It's often used for tools and
has historical significance. Tough is rock formed from compacted volcanic
ash in debris, often used in construction. Next, let's take

(04:10):
a look at volcanic evolution. Active volcanoes continuously erupt or
show signs of eruption, like Kilauea or Mount Edna. Dormant
volcanoes are volcanoes that haven't erupted in a long time

(04:32):
but may still erupt in the future, like Mount Fuji
and extinct volcanoes are volcanoes that have not erupted in
tens of thousands of years and are unlikely to erupt again.
Volcanoes have had massive impact on humanity, such as evacuations.

(04:57):
The risk of eruption can lead to e evacuations, as
seen during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in seventy nine
a d or the twenty eighteen eruption of Kilauea. Eruptions
can destroy infrastructure, homes, and crops, leading to significant economic
losses and displacement of communities. Prolonged exposure to volcanic ash

(05:23):
can lead to respiratory issues and other health problems. There
are some volcanic hotspots on our planet. The stationary hotspot
in the Earth's mantle can create a series of volcanoes
as a tectonic plate moves over it, for example the

(05:43):
Hawaiian Islands hotspot. Volcanoes provide insight into the structure and
movement of the Earth's mantle and lithosphere. Earthquakes are often
a precursor to volcanic eruptions as maagma moves through the
Earth's crust. The study of seismic waves from volcanic eruptions

(06:07):
can help scientists better understand the internal structure of volcanoes.
Volcanic eruptions underwater can lead to the formation of new
islands or the creation of large underwater volcanic structures. The
largest chain of volcanoes in the world is found along

(06:29):
the mid ocean ridges, where tectonic plates are spreading apart. Next,
let's take a look at volcanic eruption forecasting. Analyzing changes
in seismic activity, gas emissions, ground deformation, and thermal changes

(06:49):
can help predict volcanic eruptions. Modern Technology such as satellite monitoring, drones,
and seismic networks all can to early detection of eruptions,
and using geological history and data, we can predict whether
an eruption will be explosive or effusive. Here's volcanic rocks

(07:13):
and their industrial uses. Basalt is used in construction, such
as making roads, pavings, and as crush stone for construction.
Pummus is used for abrasives. Pummice is used in industries
for polishing, scouring, and exfoliating. Ash from volcanic eruptions has

(07:37):
been used historically as a key ingredient in roman cement
and continues to be used in modern eco friendly construction materials.
Volcanoes have had immense impact on landscapes and local ecosystems.
There are pioneer species that form on these volcanic landscapes.

(07:58):
The first organisms the colonies freshly exposed volcanic rock or
likely moss and lichens. Volcanic eruptions create new habitats which
provide opportunities for new species to evolve. Eruptions can either
disrupt ecosystems or create the conditions for new biodiversity to emerge. Next,

(08:23):
let's take a look at volcanic archaeology. Volcanic eruptions have
preserved ancient Roman towns by being buried in volcanic ash,
which turns to cement. Next up volcanic roll. In geothermal engineering,
heat from volcanic systems can be used to generate electricity.

(08:48):
Such systems are seen in Iceland and parts of the Philippines.
Natural hot springs found in volcanic regions can be used
for their therapeutic and recreational uses. There are some geothermal
energy challenges, such as issues with sustainability, environmental impact, and

(09:12):
resource depletion. Volcanic eruptions have influenced human migration significantly. Communities
have been displaced due to volcanic eruptions, such as those
affected by Mount Pintabo in nineteen ninety one in the Philippines.
Ancient eruptions may have driven human migrations both within regions

(09:37):
and across entire continents. Communities passed down stories and histories
of catastrophic eruptions. And lastly, for today, let's take a
look at volcano's influence on agriculture. Periodic eruptions of volcano

(09:59):
can nutrients to soil, leading to greater agricultural productivity in
some areas, volcanic ashes rich in minerals like potassium and phosphorus,
which benefit farming and improve soil fertility. The downside of
eruptions is they destroy everything that they touch, such as crops, livestock,

(10:22):
and farmland, verticularly in areas with high volcanic activity. Unfortunately,
that's all the time that we've got for today's episode
of the Science the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast.
I hope you've enjoyed this episode in until next time,