Science and Environment: This Unstable Earth

Most of the time, the planet we live on seemsother sponsors, recently aired a £2.8 million
like a safe and stable place. But as recent eventsTV docudrama that highlights the potential global
have proven, colossal forces determined by thefallout from a Yellowstone supervolcanic eruption.
physics of the earth slowly build up to beATLANTIC TSUNAMI?
suddenly released in catastrophic earthquakes,Although there is disagreement among scientists
volcanoes and tsunamis that spawn yetabout the significance of the threat, another
morescience and environment concerns for manydisaster waiting to happen could be the Cumbre
inhabitants.Vieja volcano on the Canary Island of La Palma.
Vision was in the process of preparing an articleA number of American and British scientists have
on this subject when the Asian tsunami struck onbeen watching a chunk of volcanic rock on the
December 26, 2004, with the catastrophic resultswest side of the peak, which cracked and slipped
we all know too well. Before a horrified worldwideduring its 1949 eruption. Larger than the Isle of
TV audience, the Indian Ocean basin reeledMan, the massive rock is gradually slipping further
following the massive earthquake and resultantand is poised to crash into the sea. A new
tsunami, which together may have obliterated aseruption would likely trigger the event. When this
many as 300,000 lives. All of us were forciblymay occur is uncertain, however. No one knows
reminded that Earth--and all of us along with it--iswhether it will be in 10 years or in 10,000 years.
in fact quite vulnerable.Geological hazards specialist McGuire comments:
Bill McGuire, a volcanologist and professor of"What is certain is that at some point in the
geophysical hazards at University College, London,future the west flank of the Cumbre Vieja on La
expresses it this way: "The Earth is anPalma will collapse, and the resulting tsunamis will
extraordinarily fragile place that is fraught withravage the entire Atlantic rim."
danger: a tiny rock hurtling through space,He adds that "Steven Ward of the University of
wracked by violent movements of its crust andCalifornia at Santa Cruz and Simon Day of
subject to dramatic climatic changes as itsUniversity College London's Benfield Greig Hazard
geophysical and orbital circumstances vary" (AResearch Centre created quite a stir recently
Guide to the End of the World, 2002 ).when they published a scientific paper that
Each week approximately 10,000 detectablemodelled the future collapse of the Cumbre Vieja
earthquakes shake our planet. About 2,000 ofand the passage of the resulting tsunamis across
them can be felt, and on average, two of themthe Atlantic. . . . Without considerable forward
cause damage. In addition, around 20 volcanoesplanning it is unlikely that the nine hours it will take
are erupting at any given moment. Those whofor the waves to reach the North American
find themselves in the way of such traumaticcoastline will permit effective, large-scale
events often wonder whether God is punishingevacuation, and the death toll is certain to run into
them or whether the world is coming to amillions if not tens of millions. Furthermore, the
cataclysmic end.impact on the US economy will be close to
ALL SHOOK UPterminal, with the insurance industry wiped out at
Earthquakes and volcanoes are probably the mosta stroke and global economic meltdown following
spectacular of all natural disasters.swiftly on its heels."
It is a fact that earthquakes and theirSPITEFUL SPIRITS
aftereffects have caused multiple millions ofFor centuries the ancients believed that volcanic
deaths over the course of human history. Ineruptions expressed the dissatisfaction of the
terms of loss of life, one of the mostgods. Accordingly, they would offer a
catastrophic was the one that struck China insacrifice--generally animal or human--in hopes of
1556, killing an estimated 830,000 people. And oneappeasing those gods and preventing
of the most devastating in modern times struckcatastrophes.
Japan on September 1, 1923, registering 7.9 onThroughout most of human history, natural
the Richter scale. The quake, which shook Tokyo,disasters have been attributed to supernatural
Yokohama and the surrounding area, wasintervention. Andrew Robinson, in his book Earth
followed by a tsunami, numerous landslides, andShock: Hurricanes, Volcanoes, Earthquakes,
devastating fires. Within two days at leastTornadoes and Other Forces of Nature (2002),
140,000 people had died and the two cities laycomments on this phenomenon:
largely in ashes."In Europe, earthquakes were God's punishment
With regard to volcanoes, nearly everyone isfor sin--according to the Church at least. When a
familiar with one of the most famous events ingigantic one laid waste Lisbon in November 1755,
history--the 1883 explosions of Indonesia'sthe Inquisition responded by roasting the survivors
Krakatau (or Krakatoa), an island consisting ofin the fires of the auto-da-fé [literally "act of
three volcanic cones between the islands of Javafaith," public execution ceremonies]; while the
and Sumatra. Volcanic activity began in May andpessimist Voltaire published first a poem and then,
continued through August. Pressure built up insidein 1759, his famous story Candide. Both works
the cones because gas escaping from the magmaattacked the Pope--for attributing the earthquake
had no outlet, and like a steam boiler with itsto Man's lack of faith in God--and also the German
safety valve closed, they exploded with a seriesphilosopher and mathematician Leibniz--who
of powerful blasts on August 26 and 27. Fouroptimistically held that God must have sent the
great explosions over the course of a few shortearthquake as part of His plan for the Earth. Why
hours hurled rocks into the air, some of whichLisbon? Why not decadent London or Paris?
showered down on nearby ships. Inhabitants ofquestioned Voltaire in the poem: 'Lisbon lies in
the Indian Ocean island of Rodriguez, 3,000 milesruins, while in Paris they dance.'"
away, reported hearing the noise. The force wasEven today natural disasters are often referred
so great that the northern half of the islandto as "acts of God." But is this how such
(including two of the volcanic cones) collapsed andoccurrences should be viewed? Are these tragic
disappeared. This in turn generated tsunamis, withevents from the hand of a spiteful, cruel and
some waves coming ashore at heights of 130angry God who flings natural disasters to earth
feet. The destruction resulted in tens ofwith the express intention of inflicting suffering on
thousands of deaths in the region.weak and erring humans? Alternatively, are such
In his book Krakatoa, Simon Winchester recordscatastrophes a sign of the end of the world?
that months later huge pieces of pumice thrownNEW WORLD ORDER
out by the eruption, some weighing several tons,In the Bible God describes Himself as a gentle,
drifted as far as the coastline of Africa atloving, caring Father who has mercy and
Zanzibar, about 4,000 miles away. Welded to thecompassion on His children (Psalm 103:8, 13). He
boulders' upper surfaces were the macabrestates that He wants all humanity to prosper and
remains of dozens of human skeletons, togetherbe in health. He expresses Himself as a Being who
with the bones of animals such as monkeys andwants to create a world in which everyone can
tigers that had been killed by the blast.live in peace and safety, free from the fears of
However, as calamitous as these events were,either natural catastrophes or man-made
they seem benign and almost insignificant whencalamities caused by wrong ways of life or
compared with the geologic events that overmisuse of the earth's natural resources (Isaiah
millions of years formed the earth as we know it.32:17-18).
Over the past 50 years, remarkable advancesBut we do live in distressing times. Viewing just
have been made in understanding the nature ofone day's news prompts one to long for a
the earth and the forces and events that formedfundamental change in this world. And the Bible
it. They include the eruption of supervolcanoesdoes indeed foretell some very disturbing events
and cataclysmic earthquakes, global plateto come. Yet, on closer examination, these
tectonics, the Pacific "ring of fire," the formationpassages also provide a picture of a time when
of ocean floors, and the formation andGod will intervene in human affairs to ensure
movement of continents.human survival and bring to pass a new and
The good news is that according to the geologicalbetter order of things on this earth.
record, such events develop over a vast expanseThe traumatic conditions pictured by scriptures
of time. The bad news is that in some places,detailing the end of this age will one day come to
another catastrophic event may be overdue.pass, including those that are associated with
TROUBLE BREWINGearthquakes. However, the tendency of some to
One example is the caldera under Yellowstoneinterpret every devastating event as a sign of
National Park. In the prehistoric past, the area wasthe impending arrival of the end of the world is
the site of three great eruptions: one of thesenot wise (see "The Word on Earthquakes"). In
spewed out more than 600 cubic miles of solidevery case so far, such predictions have turned
material. The amount of magma expelled causedout to be untrue. The events prophesied in
the roof of the chamber under Yellowstone toMatthew 24 and the book of Revelation will occur.
collapse, forming a one-thousand-square-mileAnd they will lead up to the return of Jesus Christ
caldera. A second series of eruptions freed aboutto this earth. However, Christ Himself told us that
70 cubic miles of magma, which resulted in thewe cannot know precisely when this will happen
17-mile-wide Island Park caldera. A third cycle of(Matthew 24:36).
eruptions is thought to have dropped ash overWhat should be our reaction to disastrous events
much of North America and to have formed thethat are certain to continue? Shouldn't we be
30-by-50-mile Yellowstone caldera.more concerned about our own spiritual condition
Eruptions have occurred in the Yellowstone areaon a daily basis rather than speculating and
about every 600,000 years. But the last one wasworrying that natural disasters are a sign that the
probably 640,000 years ago, so some say theend is near? After all, none of us knows exactly
next one is overdue. According to the U.S.when we will die, but in an individual sense the
Geological Survey, the three caldera-formingtime of our own end could be tomorrow. Wouldn't
eruptions were, respectively, about 2,500, 280it be better to prepare for that end and look
and 1,000 times larger than the May 18, 1980,forward to the fulfillment of the promise that
eruption of Mt. St. Helens in the state ofhumanity will survive than to focus on the
Washington. "Together," says the USGS, "theenvironmental issues that are seemingly out of
three catastrophic eruptions expelled enough ashour control? According to biblical prophecies, there
and lava to fill the Grand Canyon."is a new and infinitely better world coming, and it
According to experts, the science behind anotherwill be free from the devastating disasters of this
possible Yellowstone eruption is reliable; only theunstable earth.
timing is uncertain. The BBC, in conjunction with