Nothing to see here, just a new island
March 12, 2015 10:52 PM   Subscribe

In December last year, the underwater volcano Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai began to erupt again. By January, an island had begun to form. Now three men have visited the island and taken the first pictures of the new island. More photos, including before/after aerial views showing the new fish-shaped island with its central lake of green. However, scientists warn the formation is unstable - the volcano may not have finished erupting.
posted by Athanassiel (17 comments total) 11 users marked this as a favorite
 
Ooooo. That looks like a lovely place for Mothra to lay her eggs.
posted by sexyrobot at 10:55 PM on March 12, 2015 [4 favorites]


But... science... pristine island... new life... study... contaminated... wha... why would you...

Humans: can we leave anything the fuck alone?
posted by maryr at 10:56 PM on March 12, 2015 [1 favorite]


In conclusion, STOP TOUCHING THINGS.
posted by maryr at 10:58 PM on March 12, 2015 [5 favorites]


I still suspect that secretly, Elon Musk and a Persian cat are involved here.
posted by happyroach at 10:58 PM on March 12, 2015 [2 favorites]


Ah,

but do you have a flag?
posted by alex_skazat at 11:06 PM on March 12, 2015 [11 favorites]


None of the existing images show acute angles which behave as though they are obtuse. Disappointing.
posted by Pope Guilty at 11:13 PM on March 12, 2015 [7 favorites]


Matt Watson, a reader in natural hazards at the University of Bristol, said the surface of the island was likely to be "highly unstable".

Highly unstable. I'm glad you're here to tell us these things
posted by Hicksu at 11:51 PM on March 12, 2015 [2 favorites]


What is "a reader of natural hazards" and does it involve my astonishingly clumsy friend Doug, who (unfortunately) works as a waiter (at least until the next time he spills drinks on a customer yet again)?
posted by five fresh fish at 12:04 AM on March 13, 2015


Disappointing.

Or, you know, reassuring. I'm not ready to flee from the light into the peace and safety of a new dark age just yet, thanks.
posted by GenjiandProust at 5:18 AM on March 13, 2015


I call dibs.
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 5:23 AM on March 13, 2015


I call dibs.

Do you have a flag? No flag, no island.
posted by headspace at 6:39 AM on March 13, 2015 [3 favorites]


They said the surface was still hot and the green lake in the crater smelt strongly of sulphur. Makes sense, what with it being a recently erupted volcano and all.

This is the perfect situation to employ the use of some drones. Fly overhead, get some pictures, take some readings - without Curious George and his friends stomping who-knows-what all over a pristine new island.
posted by Elly Vortex at 6:40 AM on March 13, 2015 [3 favorites]


All I can say is that Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai should have been a place name in a vintage Scrooge McDuck story.

"The heinous hordes of Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai!"
posted by yhbc at 8:31 AM on March 13, 2015


But... science... pristine island... new life... study... contaminated... wha... why would you...

Humans: can we leave anything the fuck alone?


It's connected to an already extant island. So I don't think it offers much in the way of a chance to study a pristine, uncontaminated environment in any case. That said, I'm not sure you could pay me enough to walk around on the place.
posted by yoink at 9:07 AM on March 13, 2015


Humans: can we leave anything the fuck alone?

"The island is expected to erode back into the ocean in a matter of months."
posted by Guy Smiley at 9:55 AM on March 13, 2015


Oh, I know, I know. I know there have been other new island ecosystems that we've been able to observe as well.

There's just some part of me that wants the first flag on that brand new island to be a seed or a spider or seabird instead of a sneaker. In fairness, it sounds like this did happen. But it still feels like there's so need for us humans to rush in. Just leave one ecosystem alone! Just for a month, you guys.
posted by maryr at 10:25 AM on March 13, 2015


That said, I'm not sure you could pay me enough to walk around on the place.

What, really? A couple of years ago I hiked out across the active lava flow in Hawaii and it was an amazing experience, a completely alien-feeling place. Brand new rock, sharp and wispy and completely unweathered, like cotton candy made from demon-haunted glass. The land was completely shaped by the bubbling, rolling flows of lava - none of the normal shapes of soil and erosion. It was a fantastic experience and I would be happy to do something like it again. It's an amazing thrill to walk across solid rock, so fresh it looks wet, and see the red glow of liquid rock below coming up through the cracks. The island in these photos looks a lot more ashy and less rocky than the Hawaii lava flow, but I am sure that visiting it would be spectacular in its own way. Closest I'll ever get to space travel.
posted by Mars Saxman at 11:57 AM on March 13, 2015 [2 favorites]


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