The 40,000-Mile Volcano (nytimes.com)

An anonymous reader writes: The NY Times reports on one of the wonders of the underwater world: the extensive web of volcanoes and hydrothermal vents present where tectonic plates meet and grind against one another. "Welcome to one of the planet's most obscure but important features, known rather prosaically as the midocean ridges. Though long enough to circle the moon more than six times, they receive little notice because they lie hidden in pitch darkness." The magma seeping through these cracks generate massive amounts of heat — enough to sustain incredible ecosystems.

But as scientists have gained a deeper understanding of this geological phenomenon, they realize it's more chaotic than they had imagined. "The old idea was that the eruptions of oozing lava and related activity occurred at fairly steady rates. Now, studies hint at the existence of outbursts large enough to influence not only the character of the global sea but the planet's temperature. Experts believe the activity may carry major repercussions because the oceanic ridges account for some 70 percent of the planet's volcanic eruptions. By definition, that makes them enormous sources of heat and exotic minerals as well as such everyday gases as carbon dioxide, which all volcanoes emit."

Comments

Re:So they're likely the cause of "Global Warming"

[ArmoredDragon]

Issues like polluting and deforestation are separate from carbon.

On a slight tangent: I think it's worth saying though that those who are against GMO food and/or those in favor of organic food (which it seems a lot on the left are) are inadvertently proponents of deforestation. The reason why is because making way for farm land is the biggest cause of deforestation. Modern farming techniques are the reason why food yield is up 300% since the 1950's, while farm land used for food has only increased by 12%. Organic farming basically mandates that we go back to 1950's style agriculture, which means that if we do that, we have to choose between more destruction of natural landmass OR starvation. And to feed the growing world population, GMO food will be required to squeeze even higher yield out of existing landmass.

And by the way, paper and lumber are produced on tree farms these days; that is, they come from trees bread specifically for that purpose because you get better paper and better lumber from them, and we aren't going to run out of those trees any sooner than eating potatoes will make us run out of potatoes. Also by the way, the World Health Organization, Food and Agriculture Organization, United Nations, Academy of Sciences, and American Medical Association have all spoken in favor of GMO food.

Re:Not about AGW

[Rei]

It's drysuit diving. It would be stupid to do it any other way. ;)

There was a guy that on a dare from his family jumped into one of those flooded rift canyons last year, naked. He had no clue what water that cold does to your body, he's lucky he didn't drown. He quickly lost all energy, and combined with there being no easy way out was stuck half in the the water trying to get out, unable to climb any further. He was lucky that the rescue services got to him in time.

FIle that under "stupid things tourists do", along with "go hiking alone on a glacier with no prior experience and without telling anyone" and "walking up to the edge of a mud pot, not giving half a thought to the fact that they're standing at the edge of a boiling cauldron of liquid water that's actively eroding the clay around it." There's never any shortage of people to rescue. There's one team that's been hiking across Iceland this winter that's already had to be rescued three times ;)