Senin, 25 Juni 2012

What happens if you fall into a volcano? Video shows off the fate of a human-sized bag of rubbish plunging into lava pool

What happens if you fall into a volcano? Video shows off the fate of a human-sized bag of rubbish plunging into lava pool

By Rob Waugh

PUBLISHED: 10:52 EST, 25 June 2012 | UPDATED: 16:24 EST, 25 June 2012


A bag of waste - intended to simulate the weight of a human body - plunges 240 feet into a lake of lava in Ethiopia.

But instead of burning up on the surface, as expected, the bag crunches through the crust, and is consumed by fountains of fiery lava.

The experiment, at Ethiopia's Erta Ale volcano, shows that a human would sink in lava - and offers a morbid vision of a person's last seconds if they fell into a lake of molten rock.

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Action: The two experimenters can be seen in the centre of this frame, on the edge of a lake of lava at Ethiopia's Erta Ale Volcano

Action: The two experimenters can be seen in the centre of this frame, on the edge of a lake of lava at Ethiopia's Erta Ale Volcano

Going down: The bag, bottom centre, filled with organic matter and weighing the same as a human, plummets towards its fiery fate

Going down: The bag, bottom centre, filled with organic matter and weighing the same as a human, plummets towards its fiery fate

Lava strike! At first the weighted bag punctures a small hole in the crust covering the lava lake

Lava strike! At first the weighted bag punctures a small hole in the crust covering the lava lake

Woosh! the small puncture soon widens as fountains of lava gush forth

Woosh! the small puncture soon widens as fountains of lava gush forth

Violent: The lava bubbles as moisture in the organic matter in the sack turns to steam

Violent: The lava bubbles as moisture in the organic matter in the sack turns to steam

Unexpected: Scientists had thought the bag would simply burn up on the surface of the lake, instead it plunged right into the molten rock

Unexpected: Scientists had thought the bag would simply burn up on the surface of the lake, instead it plunged right into the molten rock

Hot stuff: There is no indication of whether it would be a quick way to go, but any chance of survival can quite categorically be ruled out

Hot stuff: There is no indication of whether it would be a quick way to go, but any chance of survival can quite categorically be ruled out

Splash: The violent response of the lava shows just how unpredictable the molten rock can be

Splash: The violent response of the lava shows just how unpredictable the molten rock can be

The experiment was shown off in a video posted by the creators of the experiment - and shows a 30kg bag of rubbish plunging 240ft onto a lava lake.

The lake on Erta Ale has remained for many years and is fairly unusual.

The scientists thought that the bag might remain on the surface - many believe that a human would simply burn on the surface of lava.

But the bag's fiery doom proved that wasn't true - and it is possible to puncture the crust and submerge in the hot lava.

'However, the video shows that falling from a height, a person would be able to penetrate the crust of the lake and submerge in it,' say the experimenters

'The lake reacts with violent lava fountaining activity, presumably in part due to steam produced from the organic matter.'

The creators of the video, which was filmed in 2002, add: 'Due to its high density, a person would generally be expected to remain on the surface.

'Indeed it is possible to briefly walk on certain types of lava if professional heat-protective clothing is worn (do not try yourself).'

Here's what other readers have said. Why not add your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards.

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A 30kg bag of waste to simulate that of a human body !! What human body weighs 4st-10lbs, other that of a ten year old? So, what would have been the result had a 10 stone (63.6kg) package been used I wonder. - Tom, Sittingbourne, 26/6/2012 1:02 You're right Tom, hardly an accurate representation. They should have used a pig carcass of around 70 kgs. Having said that, I think the answer to your question would be, exactly the same.

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If they wanted to throw a bag of garbage into an Ethiopian Volcano, they could have just used an Ethiopian Doug

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It is well-documented that General Pinochet and his cronies disposed of entire families, regarded as opponents of his regime, including women and children, who were thrown from helicopters by government soldiers into the mouths of volcanos. Just like the ruler of Germany during the last war, Pinochet got away with his horrendous war crimes, helped by his friends in the UK and abroad

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Slow news day???

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Painful death? I can't think of anything that could kill you quicker here on land. In a flash you just would not exist at all.

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And this is valuable information because? Pity we couldn't use these volcanoes to rid this planet of the tons of rubbish we throw per annum.

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Thatcher's friend Pinochet used to have his military drop dissidents into volcanoes. Nice man, well mannered and a great friend of Britain.

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My ex is so gassy that if she was tossed in there would probably be a mushroom cloud big enough to rival Hiroshima.

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I never would have believed it. I won't sleep tonight now, knowing that.

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You've made it angry

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