Right now, there are about 1,350 active volcanoes on planet Earth. From time to time they wake up, spewing lava, ash and gases. We have long been accustomed to these phenomena, because we regularly hear news about one volcano throwing ash for thousands of kilometers, another – flooding the surrounding areas with lava, and so on. In some cases, nothing threatens people, and in others, volcanic eruptions cause serious destruction. But what will happen if one day all the volcanoes of the Earth begin to erupt at the same time? What will happen to our planet and humanity? Let's try to imagine this frightening scenario.
The eruption of all the volcanoes in the world would lead to the end of the world
Contents
- 1 Causes of eruptions of all the volcanoes in the world
- 2 Consequences of volcanic eruptions
- 3 How to survive the end of the world
- 4 The most powerful volcanic eruptions
Causes of Eruptions of All Volcanoes in the World
It is worth emphasizing right away that the simultaneous eruption of all volcanoes on the planet is something at the level of fantasy. Today, there are no prerequisites for the fact that all the volcanoes in the world can start erupting lava at the same time. But there are three theoretical factors that can activate all the volcanoes in the world.
First, hundreds of volcanoes can start erupting due to a powerful external impact. For example, if a giant asteroid or comet collides with the Earth, the colossal force of the impact could cause global changes in the Earth's crust. This would certainly cause strong seismic waves, which in theory could activate many volcanoes.
An asteroid impact could trigger a massive volcanic eruption
Secondly, volcanoes can erupt in the event of a sharp shift of all tectonic plates. Since school, we have known that the earth's crust consists of huge plates that move and collide with each other. Any significant shift or deformation of these plates can provoke a sharp surge in volcanic activity.
Thirdly, a volcanic explosion can provoke the emergence of strong pressure in the bowels of the Earth. If magma chambers around the world were suddenly under intense pressure, this could lead to simultaneous eruptions.
Again, it is worth noting that all of the above are just hypotheses. There is no compelling reason to believe that every volcano on Earth will explode at the same time. So there is nothing to worry about.
Tamu Massif: the largest volcano on Earth and the second largest in the solar system
The effects of volcanic eruptions
But what if the impossible happens and all the volcanoes on Earth actually explode? It would be an apocalyptic spectacle that would completely change the world and most likely cause the death of humanity.
During the eruptions, huge walls of hot rocks, ash and gas will cover the surrounding areas. It will be impossible to escape, because volcanic clouds heated to a thousand degrees will spread at a speed of 700 km/h, sweeping away everything in their path. Cars and planes will stop, because their engines will simply fail in such an environment. All flights will be canceled immediately, and people will remain imprisoned in their cities.
If all the volcanoes in the world erupted, it would turn our planet into a hellish place
Enormous clouds of ash will rise into the air and cover the Earth with a thick layer. The sun will disappear behind the clouds, plunging the planet into pitch darkness. Without sunlight, plants will die, including the agricultural crops on which our lives depend. In short, people will starve.
Then the planet will begin to cool rapidly, and we will be greeted by a new ice age. But soon everything will change: due to the huge amount of carbon dioxide, a powerful greenhouse effect will arise, which will begin to “fry” the Earth, making it completely uninhabitable.
Deep-sea volcanoes will turn the oceans into an acidic, life-dead environment. The entire food chain in the ocean will collapse, and marine ecosystems will disappear completely.
Read also: Will global famine begin on Earth in the next 10 years?
How to survive the end of the world
Those who survive this hell (which is highly likely) will have to seek shelter. The best options for salvation are ships in the open ocean or underground bunkers. But food supplies will definitely not last long, and people can go completely wild from the cold. The inhabitants of the bunkers will have to wait many years until the atmosphere clears up to come to the surface again. But even then, the world will be completely different.
If all the volcanoes erupt, people will be able to survive only in bunkers or ships, and even that is not a fact
The most powerful volcanic eruptions
If every volcano on Earth erupted at once, it would be a catastrophe like no other. The world would be thrown into chaos, the air would be thick with ash, and the planet would be cold and hostile. This scenario, fortunately for us, is unlikely, and it makes us think about how powerful the natural forces are that lie beneath our feet.
Every year, there are several large volcanic eruptions in the world, and this is completely normal
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While a mass eruption of all volcanoes seems like a fantasy, human history has already encountered colossal volcanic disasters. Some of them changed the climate and even the process of human development. If you want to learn more about these amazing events, be sure to read our article “The Largest Volcanic Eruptions in Human History.”