Humans tend to feel we have conquered nature, but, every now and then, we are reminded that we are dependent on it. Maori have continued to have more respect for the awesome power of nature. Tongariro has had a relatively minor eruption today.
The eruption of the volcano under Eyjafjallajokull glacier in Iceland is an example of what we can expect more of due to climate change. Vulcanism is expected to increase as ice caps and glaciers melt. An eruption has a cooling effect, due to the sulfur dioxide thrown into the air and, in Eyjafjallajokull’s case, all the grounded planes. But don’t count on volcanoes to save us from ourselves.
