Maldive Islands

(images via: Fizzy Energy and Nitty Gritty)

The Indian Ocean nation of the Maldive Islands is the poster child for island nations, consisting of a double-chain of 26 coral atolls and encompassing approximately 1,190 individual islands. The coral atolls are in most cases divided into 5 to 10 inhabited islands and from 20 to 60 uninhabited ones. This unique situation of geography allows entrepreneurs on the inhabited islands to provide “desert island vacations” for foreign tourists looking to live – temporarily – like Robinson Crusoe.

(images via: Treehugger, 5 Minutes Guide and Fizzy Energy)

The Maldives, perhaps more than any other place on Earth, blurs the lines between land and water. While this allows for an abundance of tropical beauty and a remarkably temperate climate, it also puts the nation of 400,000 squarely in the cross-hairs of Global Warming. The average height above sea level in the Maldives is only 5 feet (1.5 meters) with the highest point rising a mere 7 feet 7 inches (2.3 meters). As sea levels continue to rise, high tides and storm surges will cause ever-greater damage to the point where many of the islands will simply cease to exist and their inhabitants could become climate refugees.

Auckland Islands, New Zealand

(images via: NZ/DOC, NASA, Travel-Images and UNESCO)

The Auckland Islands lie south of New Zealand, smack dab in chill southern latitudes dominated by the legendary “Furious Fifties”, howling winds that owe their speed and relentlessness to the lack of land in those latitudes. Auckland Island is the largest of the five islands making up this tight-knit archipelago, formed millions of years ago from several long dormant volcanoes. The total area of the islands is 241.3 square miles (625 km²) but the vast majority of the land is made up of deeply eroded, jagged mountains up to 2,170 feet (660 meters) tall.

(images via: Heritage Expeditions and Andris Apse)

Residual evidence of a possible settlement estimated to be from the 13th century has been found on the Auckland Islands, making it the farthest south any Polynesian explorers were able to reach. Several attempts to colonize the island were made in the 19th century but few lasted more then a couple of years. The islands have been completely uninhabited since the removal of a meteorological station set up and manned by the government of New Zealand during the Second World War.

Aldabra Island, Seychelles

(images via: Arkive, Hot Top Trends and Answers.com)

Aldabra Island is the world’s second largest coral atoll with a total area of 60 square miles (155.4 km²), divided into four individual islands. Aldabra has been known to humanity for many centuries; its name is of Arabic origin. The island group lies 265 miles (426.5 km) northwest of Madagascar and is the westernmost large island of the Seychelles: the island’s capital, Mahé, is over 700 miles (1,126.5 km) to the east. At 21 miles (34 km) long, 9 miles (14.5 km) wide and rising up to 26.25 feet (8 meters) above sea level it’s somewhat of a mystery why Aldabra hasn’t been able to support even a small human settlement.

(images via: Arkive, Hot Top Trends and Answers.com)

Aldabra Island is home to one of the world’s largest populations of Giant Tortoises – around 150,000 Aldabra Giant Tortoises (Dipsochelys dussumieri) roam the atoll, free from human predation. Such was not always the case: 19th century whalers, sealers and long-distance ship voyagers often captured tortoises for food and by 1900 they were nearly extinct. Aldabra is also home to the world’s largest land crab, the Coconut Crab (Birgus latro), known to netizens from a widely circulated image showing one of the creatures hiding (barely) behind a trashcan.

Tetepare Island, Solomon Islands

(images via: Tetepare.org and Wikimedia)

Known as “the last wild island”, Tetepare Island in the Solomon Islands has been uninhabited since the mid-19th century when members of its native tribe fled to surrounding islands due to an increasing threat from headhunters. The island is 45.5 square miles (118 km²) in area and is the largest uninhabited island in the western Pacific Ocean region.

(images via: Jens Kruger, Solomon Times and AVI)

Tetepare Island has been monitored since 2002 by the Tetepare Descendants Association (TDA), a registered Solomon Islands charitable organization that seeks to preserve the island from logging and other resource exploitation for the benefit of future generations. An ecolodge has been established on the island under the TDA’s supervision, which provides employment to local islanders and raises both funds for conservation projects and awareness of Tetepare’s unique status.

Rock Islands (Chelbacheb), Palau

(images via: Citypictures, Survivor Skills and Daily Scuba Diving)

Made famous by their starring role in Survivor Palau, the tenth season of the American reality show “Survivor” broadcast in early 2005, the 250-300 Rock Islands (called Chelbacheb in the native Palauan language) encompass a total land area of just 18 square miles (47 km²) yet boast an abundance of ecological diversity. These heavily forested limestone and coral islands rise up to 680 feet (207 m) above sea level and many feature hidden lagoons and lakes where unique species abound.

(images via: NCBI, BDnews24.com, The Independent and Secret of the Crystal Skulls)

A place as beautiful and fertile as Palau’s Rock Islands may be uninhabited today but it seems that human’s gave settlement a shot at various times over the past several thousand years. One of the most intriguing examples involves the discovery of skeletal remains of “tiny people”. At first thought to be related to the so-called Hobbits of Flores Island in Indonesia, it’s now believed the remains belong to ancient Palauans affected by Island Dwarfism.

Cocos Island, Costa Rica

(images via: Cocos Island and Diving World)

Cocos Island is sort of a northern Galapagos, lying quite isolated in the Pacific Ocean approximately 340 miles (550 km) off Costa Rica’s western coast. The roughly rectangular island is 9.2 square miles (23.85 km²) in area and hosts a mainly stable population of deer, pigs, cats, and rats introduced purposefully or accidentally by humans. The latter never maintained long-lasting settlements despite the availability of fresh water. The waters around Cocos Island are a rich oasis of marine life, as the following video shows:

Video más Reciente de Isla del Coco-Most recent video Cocos Island, via Marcogarrido1

(images via: SciFi Squad and FilmAffinity)

Author Michael Crichton probably based Isla Nublar from his novel (and later the films and games) Jurassic Park on Cocos Island. Supporting this supposition is the fact that “Isla Nublar” is Spanish for Cloudy Island and Cocos Island is the only island near Central or South America with an extensive Cloud Forest ecosystem.

Phoenix Islands, Kiribati

(images via: Cosmos Magazine, Wikimedia and Solarviews)

The Phoenix Islands are a group of 8 islands and several coral reefs located about halfway between Hawaii and Fiji in the south Pacific. The total land area of the islands is just 11 square miles (27.6 km²) and except for two dozen people (as of May 2010) living on Kanton, the largest of the group, the islands are uninhabited. Several attempts to settle or colonize the Phoenix Islands have been made over the past two centuries but all ended in failure with the last residents leaving in 1963.

(images via: San Francisco Sentinel and The Saipan Blog)

The Phoenix Islands are isolated – though part of the Republic of Kiribati, Kanton Island lies (1,765 km) east of the republic’s capital, South Tarawa. The southernmost island of the Phoenix island group has a dubious claim to fame. Nikumaroro (formerly known as Gardner Island) is thought by some to be the place where American aviatrix Amelia Earhart along with navigator Fred Noonan crash-landed in July of 1937, while attempting an around-the-world flight in a twin-engine Lockheed Electra.

Mu Ko Ang Thong, Thailand

(images via: Souvlaki for the Soul and Treetop Asia)

Mu Ko Ang Thong National Park (established 1980) consists of 42 islands in the Gulf of Thailand. Though the park as a whole covers 39.5 square miles (102 km²), only 7 square miles (18 km²) are dry land. “Ang Thong” means “Bowl of Gold”, and the islands enjoy the warm weather and abundant sunshine that has made tourist areas in Thailand’s Surat Thani province so popular.

(images via: Simandan, Psychedelic Adventure and G Living)

The islands of Mu Ko Ang Thong are the setting of The Beach in the 1996 Alex Garland novel and the 2000 film of the same name, starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Pre-production activity including flattening the beach was conducted, which ruffled feathers locally, but the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami saw the beach re-assume much of its original look and character.

Monuriki Island, Mamanuca Islands (Fiji)

(images via: CIO, David Wall Photo and Hotel Rental Group)

There are about 20 volcanic islands in the Mamanuca Islands group, part of the nation of Fiji. That number drops to about 13 when the tide is high, however. Many of the Mamanuca Islands are uninhabited and the main factor deciding habitation seems to be the availability of fresh water.

(images via: DVD Beaver and Mentalfloss)

One of the Mamanuca Islands has achieved a special type of fame: tiny Monuriki Island is the main location where the 2000 movie Cast Away was filmed. The character played by Tom Hanks, “Chuck Noland” (C. No land… get it?) faced several difficulties surviving on Monuriki, chief among them making fire and finding a source of fresh water to drink. Good thing he had his pal Wilson to keep him company too!

Ball’s Pyramid

(images via: Oddity Central, Fakename2 and Starship)

Rising from the Pacific Ocean 13 miles (20 km) southeast of Lord Howe Island and 370 miles (600 km) east of Australia, 1,844 ft (562 m) high Ball’s Pyramid may be the Earth’s most visually stunning island. The shear volcanic outcrop was first discovered in 1788 by Lieutenant Henry Lidgbird Ball. It wasn’t until nearly a century later, in 1882, that the first person actually stepped – very carefully, I’m guessing – onto the rocky shore of the island. It’s safe to say that there may not be a single patch of horizontal ground anywhere on the 3,600 ft (1,100 m) by 1,000 ft (300 m) remnant of a 7 million year old volcano.

(image via: Outdoors Webshots)

You’d think Ball’s Pyramid would be a rock climber’s and BASE jumper’s idea of paradise, and indeed the pinnacle was successfully climbed to the summit for the first time in February of 1965. Climbing was banned entirely in 1982 though since 1990 applications may be made under special conditions, subject to approval by the Australian government.

Devon Island, Canada

(image via: Statistics Canada)

This list leaves out major and minor islands of the arctic and Antarctic as they do not remotely meet any conception of a “desert island”. Even so, we will give honorable mention to Devon Island, the world’s 27th largest island and the largest uninhabited island on the planet. Located in Canada’s arctic archipelago northwest of Baffin Island, Devon Island measures 21,331 square miles (55,247 km²) in size.

(images via: Canadian Museum of Nature and Atlas Obscura)

The brutally cold, dry climate and the existence of the 14 mile (23 km) wide Haughton Impact Crater has made Devon Island the perfect testing area for future Mars rovers and habitats. It ain’t the kind of place to raise your kids, as Elton John once sang, and as for those Desert Island Discs? Leave ‘em at home – you’ll have trouble finding an electrical outlet anyway.

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Golden Beetles

(images via: MindCafe, BugGuide and TravelPod)

Certain types of beetles can appear so golden it’s hard to believe they haven’t somehow incorporated 24-carat gold into their gleaming shells! They haven’t – if they did, human treasure hunters would have long since driven them to extinction. Among the most golden of these “gold bugs” are the Golden Scarab Beetle and the Golden Tortoise Beetle.

(images via: Home Schooling Aspergers, Laurie and Matt and Extreme Science)

These insects get their golden appearance using some pretty sophisticated science. The Golden Tortoise Beetle can adjust the moisture content between two layers of its wing covers, resulting in varying levels or golden iridescence as seen by the human eye.

(image via: DK Images)

The Golden Scarab Beetle (Chrysina resplendens) goes even further: its chitinous cuticle reflects circularly polarized light which is “left-handed”. Sounds complicated; looks brilliant!

Golden Jumping Spiders

(images via: Johnbird30 and BugGuide)

Jumping spiders are hunters and ambush predators rather than web-weavers so one would think having a gleaming, metallic exoskeleton would not be in their best interest. Possibly these spiders’ golden appearance is something only human eyes – and not those of its prey – can appreciate.

(image via: Bug Guide)

Jumping spiders are one of the most intelligent spider species and this 1/4-inch long iridescent gold example is one of the most striking in appearance. The rose petal upon which this jewel-like arachnid has set up his or her hunting grounds makes a pleasing contrast with the shimmering iridescent gold of the spider’s exoskeleton.

Golden Monarch Butterfly Chrysalis

(images via: Micro Cosmos, Dave A. eh? and How Stuff Works)

Monarch butterflies are known for their bold orange wings bisected with black veins and contrasting white spots. Their caterpillars, often found grazing on Milkweed plants, are striped with black, white and yellow. It’s only in this majestic creature’s intermediate stage that it chooses to flash its gold: the chrysalis. Oh, uhh, the dude in the chrysalis suit? Gold, pure (comedy) gold.

(images via: Clayruth and About.com)

A Monarch butterfly chrysalis is mainly emerald or jade green in color highlighted by bright metallic gold trim – a horizontal line about 1/3 of the way down and raised golden bumps set apart symmetrically on its lower portion. About 24 hours before the butterfly emerges from the chrysalis, the surface will darken and then turn transparent. Through this process and even after the butterfly has emerged, the golden stripe and spots remain.

Golden Fish

(images via: Smile-O-Smile)

To quote the website copy describing this “truly unbelievable” golden fish, “This is an amazing creation of the Creator. Gold Fish, which was found in the sea in Taiwan was put to display in Taiwan’s Natural Museum.” Okie dokie, I have an open mind and I’m sure you do too… but then: “Scientists have found that some of the parts of this beautiful fish are of 24 carat pure gold.” That noise you heard? That was my mind snapping shut.

(image via: Rojaks)

Seems this particular goldfish, er, gold fish is an animatronic device that may have a creator; just not THE Creator. One can be sure, however, that Koi breeders are actively engaged in producing a truly believable golden ornamental carp. Such a fish might not have 24-carat gold parts but eager buyers would likely pay as if they were.

Golden Poison-Dart Frog

(images via: Jassy World and Bukisa)

There are several different species of Golden Poison Frogs including Phyllobates terribilis, said to be the world’s most poisonous vertebrate. Just how deadly are the alkaloid toxins exuded by these frogs through their skin? Just milligram of the frog’s Batrachotoxin poison is enough to kill approximately 10,000 mice, or 10 to 20 humans, or two African bull elephants – from 1/1,000th of a gram of poison! Another way of stating its toxicity is roughly 15,000 humans killed per gram. “Look but don’t touch” was never so appropriate.

(images via: The Dog Walker, Harunyahya and Know Your Meme)

Golden Poison Frogs are not metallic gold in hue; in fact they can be pale green, various shades of yellow or even bright orange. Where you WILL see metallic gold on frogs (or toads) is in their eyes – the iris’ of many types of common frogs and toads displays a rich, brassy golden tone that contrasts with a midnight black background. Quite beautiful… some might even say, hypnotic.

Gold Tegu Lizard

(images via: Offbeat Pets and Richard Seaman)

The Gold Tegu lizard is a large South American lizard that exploits a similar ecologic niche to that of monitor lizards on other continents. The Gold Tegu’s glossy skin and ornate gold over black striping combine to make it visually very appealing.

(image via: Richard Seaman)

Gold Tegu lizards are popular pets though their feisty nature and hard-to-tame aggressiveness makes them a real handful. Speaking of which, a Gold Tegu can grow rather large – up to 44″ long from tip of the nose to the end of their tails – and unlike other Tegu species they are mainly carnivorous.

Golden Snakes

(images via: Arkive, Steffen und Christina, Eco Terrarium Supply and Polyvore.com)

Several different species of snakes have been graced with the prefix “golden”, including the Golden Tree Snake and the Golden Cat Snake. Most gold-toned snakes live in desert habitats where their coloration helps them blend in with the sandy ground and dry vegetation of arid climes.

(image via: Worth1000)

Now here’s one “rattler” that one wouldn’t mind having coiled close by – it’s one way to un-constrict your finances, at least. I’d say the gilded serpent above was both real and available but then… I’d be speaking with a forked tongue.

Golden Marmoset

(images via: Is America Burning and Purple Slinky)

The Golden Marmoset, or Golden Lion Tamarin (Leontopithecus rosalia), is one of the smallest monkeys and also one of the most endangered. It’s estimated only about 1,000 of these primates survive in forested areas of Brazil’s Atlantic coast while another 490 are currently kept in captivity or on protected reserves. It’s estimated that 98 percent of the Golden Marmoset’s original lush rainforest habitat has been destroyed through logging and/or agriculture.

(image via: Uglorable)

The thick, golden fur covering the Golden Marmoset makes it appear larger and heaver than it really is. In actual fact, these New World monkeys only grow up to 13.2 inches (335mm) long and can weight up to 25 ounces (about 700 grams) when fully grown.

Golden Weaver Bird

(images via: Brian Callahan)

The African Golden Weaver (Ploceus subaureus) can be found in eastern and southern Africa roughly from Kenya down to South Africa. These birds can form flocks of many thousands and their teardrop-shaped nests may hang from leaf-stripped savannah trees by the dozens.

(images via: ScienceBlogs and Vijay Barve)

Golden Weaver Birds are not considered to be threatened and indeed, one of their relatives (the Red-billed Quelea) is considered to be the world’s most abundant bird with a population of approximately 1.5 billion. All Weavers are seed-eaters, and flocks sometimes cause African farmers problems when they settle en masse to gorge themselves on mature seed crops.

Golden Bond Girl

(images via: EHV Emmetts and Probert Encyclopaedia)

Our last (but not least) golden creature is of the species Homo Sapien, commonly known as Shirley Eaton, Bond Girl. Eaton played the role of Jill Masterson in the 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger. Her claim to fame was her on-screen demise, considered by movie pundits to be one of the top ten film deaths. The crucial scene features Eaton sprawled nude on a bed, her body completely covered in gold. Betty White’s cool and all, but Shirley Eaton is one hot Golden Girl! Here’s a video clip of the notorious (for 1964) scene:

Shirley Eaton as Jill Masterson in Goldfinger (part 3), via Sakieee7

(image via: Screenrush)

The Jill Masterson character supposedly died from “skin suffocation”, a questionable proposition that incidentally was investigated in a memorable episode of the Mythbusters television series. Shirley Eaton was said to suffer no ill effects from her movie makeup though the film’s producers kept a doctor on hand while filming “just in case”. As for Mythbuster’s Adam Savage, his head to toe gold painting also left him none the worse for wear though his pride was somewhat dented.

(image via: Gary L. Todd, Ph.D.)

All that glitters isn’t always gold and what appears to be gold may or may not glitter – then again, animals are animate objects and their golden garb has value much more than that of the metal that has enticed, entranced and blinded humans from time immemorial.

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The Oldest

(images via: Daily Mail UK and Mahjoob)

There are several candidates for the Earth’s oldest rocks located in Greenland, South Africa and Australia but the Nuvvuagittuq Greenstone Belt in northern Canada seems to be the reigning age champion.

(image via: The Pirate’s Cove)

These rocks date back approximately 4.28 billion years to the Hadean Eon, a hellish time when our planet’s crust was just beginning to cool, and meteorites and comets rained from the skies. It’s estimated that the impact of a Mars-sized proto-planet called Theia occurred several hundred million years earlier, adding to the earth’s mass and forming the Moon.

(images via: PopAstro and GalaxyWire)

The “oldest rock on Earth” may actually be a moon rock! The so-called Genesis Rock, picked up off the lunar surface by astronauts during the Apollo 15 mission, is estimated to be 4.5 billion years old and may have once been part of the Moon’s original crust.

The Rainiest

(images via: Tutunendo, Patatastraigo and Travelvista)

You might expect the rainiest place on Earth to be in a rainforest and you’d be right: the Colombian Department (province) of Chocó, bordering Panama, is widely recognized as being the wettest place in the world. How wet is Chocó? In 1974, the town of Tutunendo was drenched with an astounding 26,303 mm (86 ft, 3.5 inches) of rain! On average, Tutunendo receives 11,770 cm (463.4 inches, or 38 ft, 6 inches) of rain per year and 2/3 of the time the rain falls at night.

(images via: Plan Your Adventure and Hanaleikauai Activities)

Mount Wai-’ale’ale on the island of Kauai, Hawaii has the most rainy days per year: up to 350 rainy days annually. Keep that in mind before you book your next vacation to “sunny Hawaii”.

The Snowiest

(images via: Wikipedia, Dgrin and WS/DOTblog)

Extremely heavy snowfalls occur in parts of the world where tall mountains divert moisture-laden air masses upward, bringing them past their condensation points. Exceptionally heavy snowfalls can occur in some surprising places: on February 14, 1927, researchers measured the depth of the annual snowpack on Japan’s Mount Ibuki at 38.8 feet (11.82 m). The Cascade Mountains of America’s Pacific Northwest are the recorded snowfall champions, however.

(image via: Stone Creek Lodge)

Snow on Washington state’s Mount Rainier was measured at a record 93.5 feet (2,850 cm) in the winter of 1971–72. Mount Ranier’s record was broken over the winter of 1998-99 when 95 feet (2,896 cm) of snow fell on the nearby Mt. Baker Ski Area. We’ll assume the snow-making machines got a rest that winter.

(images via: Dark Roasted Blend, English Russia and France24)

While snowfall in upper mountain elevations rarely inconveniences anyone except skiers, heavy snowfalls can paralyze urban centers for days, sometimes weeks. The above images of towns in Russia and the Ukraine digging out from massive snowstorms show what a visit from General Winter can be like… foreign invaders, take heed (and snowshoes).

The Driest

(images via: Nunuk Photos, Up Overland and Run Further)

Chile’s Atacama Desert doesn’t get much rain at the best of times, and at the worst of times which is, actually, most of the time) it gets barely any. It’s been noted that at the town of Arica, no rain at all fell between October 1903 to January 1918 – longest recorded rainless period in the world! Some parts of the Atacama strongly resemble photos of the planet Mars, which is not really a surprise as it doesn’t rain there either.

(images via: GhostTowns, Petzlaff and Historic 66)

America’s Death Valley often makes lists of the hottest, lowest and driest places but the Mojave Desert can be just as hot and dry. Indeed, the longest recorded dry spell in the USA was at Bagdad, California (appropriate name, that) – 767 days, from October 3rd, 1912 to November 8th, 1914. I doubt they had a white Christmas then, and they won’t now: Bagdad’s been a ghost town since 1991.

The Windiest

(images via: 180782′s Blog, New Zealand Travel and State Library of NSW)

Commonwealth Bay is officially listed in the Guinness Book of World Records and the Eighth Edition of the National Geographic Atlas as being the windiest place on Earth – and to make matters even worse, it’s located in Antarctica. Forget about the occasional gust, the winds at Commonwealth Bay are strong, steady, and blow at 150 mph (240 km/h) – or more.

(image via: AAD)

Australian antarctic explorer Douglas Mawson established the main base of the 1912 Australasian Antarctic Expedition expedition at Cape Denison, at the mouth of Commonwealth Bay. Presumably he did this on a rare windless day; otherwise he must have been insane.

(images via: Home By The Sea and Brian A Small)

One of the windiest places on Earth’s northern hemisphere is Cape Blanco in southwestern Oregon, USA. Jutting into the Pacific Ocean near Coos Bay, Cape Blanco is both the westernmost point of Oregon and the contiguous United States. Severe winter storms often rake Cape Blanco with shrieking winds that gust up to 125 mph (200 km/h).

The Flattest

(images via: Rajie Manders, WikiTravel, Home of POI and Horolezec)

Bolivia’s Salar de Uyuni was formed from several prehistoric lakes that converged and dried, leaving a salt pan several feet thick or more over a 4,086 sq mi (10,582 sq km) expanse. Think of Utah’s Bonneville Salt Flats multiplied by 25 and you’ll get an idea of how large the Salar de Uyuni is.

(image via: Seaway Blog)

Certain rare elements are concentrated in the various salts that make up the Salar, especially the strategic metal Lithium – up to 70 percent of the world’s lithium reserves are locked in the Salar’s salts!

(images via: Gone For A Wander and Travel Bolivia)

Normally dry and virtually lifeless, the Salar de Uyuni comes alive each November when summer rains attract flocks of pink flamingos, who feed on red algae and brine shrimp. At these times, the Salar becomes even flatter – in effect, it becomes a virtual mirror orbiting satellites use to calibrate their distance measurements.

The Deepest Cave

(images via: Gilyn, The Horse and Rider and Karavi)

Located in the politically ambiguous Republic of Abkhazia, the Voronya Cave (Crows’ Cave, in Russian) plunges 7,188 feet (2,191 m) into the depths of the Arabika Massif, a limestone formation dating back to the Age of Dinosaurs. Also known as the Krubera cave (after Russian geographer Alexander Kruber), the cave was discovered in 1960 and has surpassed Austria’s Lamprechtsofen as the world’s deepest cave and the only known cave deeper than 2,000 meters (6,561.5 ft).

(image via: Avibo)

Credit must be given to the the Ukrainian Speleological Association for establishing a series of depth records in the Voronya Cave and its many subsidiary caves. Beginning in the early 1980s, the Ukr.S.A. began deliberately clearing blockages and expanding squeeze points so that cave explorers could penetrate ever deeper into the interconnected caves. The current record depth of 7,188 feet (2,191 m) was set in the autumn of 2007 but as the Ukr.S.A. mounts annual expeditions to the Voronya Cave system, it’s possible those figures could change.

The Most Remote Land

(images via: Stuff, Explorapoles and PolarIce)

A “pole of inaccessibility” is that point on a continent that is the greatest distance from any ocean in any direction – the North American PofA is in South Dakota. There’s a hierarchy among poles of inaccessibility, however, and the most inaccessible of all lies in the frigid wastelands of Antarctica.

(images via: N/US Traverse and Break Media)

In 1958 the Soviet Union established a base at the Antarctic Pole of Inaccessibility which they quickly abandoned. Before leaving the base, the Soviet team installed a golden bust (OK, it’s plastic) of Lenin to oversee the icy landscape and mark the USSR’s global reach. Lenin’s eyes gaze back wistfully in the direction of Moscow – on the bright side, he won’t be troubled by pigeons. Below the bust, nearly inundated by years of snow, is a small hut that contains a guest book for visitors to sign. I’m guessing it’s a very thin periodical.

The Most Remote Island

(images via: Wikimedia, Lo Incognito, Mappery and Hotel Club)

Our previous Extreme Places on the Planet article featured the Most Remote Inhabited Island, Tristan de Cunha. Though certainly remote, another uninhabited island holds the distinction of being the most remote, period. Bouvet Island is a small island in the South Atlantic Ocean that, oddly enough, is under Norwegian sovereignty. The nearest land is Antarctica’s Queen Maud Land nearly 1,000 miles (1,600 km) to the south. The nearest inhabited island is Tristan da Cunha, 1,404 miles (2,260 km) away and the nearest inhabited land is South Africa, which is 1,600 miles (2,580 km) to the northeast. Fun facts about Bouvet island: it served as the setting for the 2004 film Alien vs. Predator. Bouvet Island also has its own (unused) Internet country code top-level domain: bv.

(image via: Robin Muench)

Bouvet Island is 93 percent ice-covered with glaciers calving into the chill Southern Ocean. The island is only 19 square miles (49 sq km) in area and has no vegetation except for small outcrops of moss and lichen. Bouvet Island’s only claim to fame occurred in 1979 when an orbiting American spy satellite detected a double-flash of light near the island. Though never officially confirmed, the flash is believed by many to be the signature of a joint Israel-South Africa nuclear test.

(image via: Borders.com)

Extremes of weather, distance, geology and geography make our planet exceptional in many ways. Nothing interesting in your world today? Step out of your comfort zone sometime, going to extremes can have its own reward!

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Ancient Giant Bugs

(image via: Mahjoob.com)

The history of life on Earth is a long and complex story with changing geologic, climactic and environmental conditions continually shuffling the genetic deck. Mammals, reptiles, birds, fish and insects have all produced giants in the past, so it’s worth looking at some of prehistory’s largest insects to put their modern descendants into perspective.

(images via: Animal Pictures Archive, Eobasileus and Club Des Monstres)

The most notorious of these ancient giant insects lived during the Carboniferous period approximately 300 million years ago; the most well-known examples are the giant dragonfly Meganeura (above) and the giant centipede Arthropleura.

(images via: Fotoarchiv and Discovering Fossils)

Meganeura had a 2.5-ft (0.75 meter) wide wingspan and scientists speculate it ate other flying and crawling insects; even some of the smaller early amphibians that were just beginning to colonize dry land. Arthropleura, on the other hand (or maybe, the other foot) stretched up to 8.5 feet (2.6 meters) long and may have eaten both plants and small animals.

(image via: The Nonist)

The all-time champ when it comes to huge proto-insects was Jaekelopterus rhenaniae, a Eurypterid sea scorpion that lived from 460 to 255 million years ago. It likely dined on our primitive marine ancestors – and pretty much anything else it encountered. Growing up to 8 feet (2.4 meters) long, Jaekelopterus rhenaniae was the largest Arthropod to have ever evolved. At least, so we hope.

Goliath Beetle

(images via: Animal Planet, Woodmoor Beer and Buy.com)

Deep in the jungles of darkest Africa one may find the biggest, bulkiest, heaviest insect on Earth: the Goliath Beetle. Male Goliathus’ can grow up to 4.3 inches (110 mm) long and their larvae can weigh up to 3.5 ounces or 100 grams: a true mega-maggot! Hobbyists have raised Goliath Beetles in captivity by feeding the newly hatched larvae dog or cat food.

(image via: Yun10)

Goliath Beetles are members of the Scarab Beetle family and it’s likely they were known to the ancient Egyptians. They can also fly using a single pair of clear membranous wings normally protected under their hinged shells. The sound of a Goliath Beetle in flight has been likened to that of a small helicopter.

Camel Spiders

(image via: Alchemy Imageworks)

While insects today have been cut down to size, so to speak, there are still some large enough to put a healthy scare into other animals, not to mention us. Take the Camel Spider… take it AWAY, is what I really mean to say! Give our brave troops slogging through Iraqi deserts extra props for having to deal with these eight-legged freaks.

(images via: Jim Meads, Woosk.com and Rod Maher)

While many of the tales told about Camel Spiders are fabrications (such as, they sometimes can be seen running alongside Humvees, screaming all the while), these arachnids can grow up to 10 inches (25 cm) wide, run as fast as 10 mph (16 kph) and like to hide in dark, sheltered places… like sleeping bags.

(image via: CamelSpiders.net)

This famous photo of two Camel Spiders locked in mortal combat has made the rounds of the Internet but anything this creepy deserves another go-round. Note the spot-on desert camouflage coloring (troops and spiders) and their nasty-looking fangs (just the spiders). By the way, Camel Spiders are not found only in Iraq or the Middle East – try right next door in Mexico where they’re known as “matevenados”… in English, that means “deer killers.” Th-Th-Thumper, is th-that you??

Giant Water Bugs

(images via: LostSprings.com and GreenPacks)

Giant Water Bugs of the genus Lethocerus, also known as “Toe Biters” – lovely, huh? – grow up to 5 inches (12 cm) long and are the terrors of freshwater ponds, gorging themselves on other insects, crayfish, tadpoles and the odd unlucky fish. When they bite a potential meal (or perhaps, your toe), the bugs inject an enzyme that liquifies tissue making it easy for the bug to slurp up its meal.

(images via: Golden’s Blog and Adam Vandenberg)

Needless to say, a bite from a Giant Water Bug can be exceptionally painful and victims have been known to suffer permanent muscle damage. Toe Biter 1, ToeCutter 0.

(image via: What’s That Bug)

Most of us would be happy to avoid Giant Water Bugs altogether but that’s just impossible: they’re so darned tasty! I’m not speaking from personal experience (though my Mom tells me I ate a June Bug once when I was 2, and said it was “good”) but Giant Water Bugs are a delicacy in Thailand where they’re caught using black (UV) light floating traps. Very nice, but I’m sticking to the Pad Thai if that’s OK with you.

Japanese Giant Hornet

(images via: Homely Scientist, Scinema 04 and TerritorioScuola)

Japanese Giant Hornets, unlike tarantulas, are NOT mild-mannered and most definitely do not make great pets. Great pests is more like it. Let’s start with size: up to 1.6 inches (4 cm) long with a 2.5 inch (6 cm) wingspan. In Japanese they’re called Oo-Suzumebachi, or “Giant Sparrow Bee”… and unlike everything else in Japan, there’s nothing cute about them. They kill, on average, 40 people every year. That’s more than the total number of deaths attributed annually to ALL wild animals in Japan, put together.

(image via: Pretty Paisley)

The venom of Japanese Giant Hornets is considered to be “very potent”, and it’s injected through a wickedly curved stinger 1/4 inch (6.25 mm) long. The sting itself was reported by Masato Ono, an entomologist (and sting-ee) from Tamagawa University, to feel “like a hot nail being driven into his leg”. Oh, and it gets worse – an annoyed Japanese Giant Hornet will chase a perceived threat (read: YOU) for up to 3 miles and it can fly at speeds up to 25 mph (40 kph). Guess who wins that race. And… yes, there’s more… this fiendish uber-wasp disperses a pheromone that will draw other hornets from far and wide. It bee nice knowin’ ya!

(images via: Ugly Overload and Arthropoda)

Though we can’t blame Colony Collapse Disorder and the accompanying loss of millions of honeybees on the Japanese Giant Hornet, they should at least be brought in for questioning – not by me, of course.

Check out the following video in which about 30 giant hornets take on a hive filled with around 30,000 honeybees by going all Ozzy Osbourne on them. The result? More bee-heading than in an Al-Qaeda member’s wet dream:

30 Hornets vs. 30,000 Bees, via Silentrouge

Giant Weta

(images via: University of Stirling, Naturespic and 10 Daily Things)

The Giant Weta encompasses 11 varied species, growing to a length of 8 inches or 20 cm. They’re found only in New Zealand and its nearby islands where they took over the ecological niches normally filled by rodents such as mice. When rodents were introduced to New Zealand by human settlers, the Giant Weta went into rapid decline.

(image via: 10 Daily Things)

The Giant Weta’s genus name, Deinacrida, is Greek for “terrible grasshopper” and it’s a good choice as the spiky, spiny creature resembles some sort of radioactive mutated cricket from Hell. Even the native Maori were put off by the Giant Weta when they first encountered it, dubbing it “Weta Punga”, or “god of ugly things.” Yep, that’s one big ugly bugly.

(image via: Kiwi Mikex)

Giant Wetas are flightless and have struggled to survive after the introduction of non-native predators to the New Zealand archipelago. They are among the world’s heaviest insects with one specimen weighing in at a startling 2.5 ounces (70 grams). One wicked cricket… and we’re gonna need a bigger wicket.

Atlas Moth, Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing Butterfly

(images via: Butterfly Utopia and Pixdaus – Danif)

The Atlas Moth and the Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing butterfly are the largest of the moths and butterflies, each achieving wingspans of over a foot (30 cm). The Atlas Moth, found in southeast Asia, the Malay archipelago and on the Indian subcontinent has been cultivated commercially for the silk used by its caterpillars to weave their cocoons. Entire Atlas Moth cocoons have been made into women’s purses in Taiwan, where the women are obviously not at all squeamish.

(image via: Vai Passar)

The Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing butterfly was first discovered by European naturalists in 1906, when a collector in what today is Papua New Guinea brought one down using a shotgun. Females have rounded wings than males and wingspans can reach just over 12 inches (31 cm) with body lengths of 3.2 inches (8 cm).

(images via: USA Today and Arkive)

Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing butterflies emerge from their cocoons in the humid early morning hours, before the daytime’s hotter air can prematurely dry out their huge wings. Male butterflies are territorial and have been seen chasing away birds that inadvertently flew into their perceived domains.

Goliath Birdeater Spider

(images via: Cute and Weird, Bugman 123 and Reptile World Zoo)

Besides being a great band name, the Goliath Birdeater is one of the world’s largest spiders. These jungle-dwelling tarantulas have an 11 inch (25 cm) leg span which puts them on par with the smaller-bodied Giant Huntsman spider of Laos. The Goliath Birdeater comes out ahead when it comes to weight, with mature specimens topping out at over 6 ounces (170 grams). Oh, the name? The first researcher to describe them observed one eating a hummingbird. They have also been known to kill and eat mice, bats, lizards, and small poisonous snakes.

(image via: Cute and Weird)

As fearsome as they may appear, the Goliath Birdeater spider and other large tarantulas of the Amazon rainforest are not particularly aggressive – good thing! Even when they do bite humans and their fangs (which can be up to 1.5 inches or 3.8 cm long) pierce skin, they rarely inject venom and bites are relatively – relatively – painless. It’s not the fangs that are the main problem for people, it’s the hairs that irritated tarantulas shake off their bellies. Incredibly thin and wickedly barbed, these hairs can become lodged in one’s eyeballs and are nearly impossible to remove.

Tarantula Hawk Wasp

(images via: Hillside Photos, Birdfotos and Durango Nature Studies)

Another big bug with a seriously scary name, the Tarantula Hawk Wasp doesn’t live in some faraway jungle or exotic island… nope, it’s from New Mexico! In fact, the State of New Mexico adopted the Tarantula Hawk Wasp as their official state insect in 1989. If you happen to come across one, however, you’re officially advised to leave it alone! Though not considered to be aggressive, the Tarantula Hawk Wasp WILL sting you if pestered, and then… let’s just let Justin O. Schmidt, author of the Schmidt Sting Pain Index, describe it: “Blinding, fierce, shockingly electric. A running hair drier has been dropped into your bubble bath.” Officially the sting of the Tarantula Hawk Wasp rates 4 on the Schmidt scale – which only goes up to 4.

(image via: Hillside Photos)

Tarantula Hawk Wasps are among the world’s largest wasps, growing up to 2 inches (50 mm) long. Unlike most familiar black & yellow banded wasps, they have bluish-black bodies and bright orange or rust-colored wings. As you may have guessed, they prey on tarantulas and other large spiders of the south-western desert.

(image via: EmoFC.com)

A sting from the wasp doesn’t kill the spider; that would be too kind. Instead, the wasp drags the paralyzed spider – a significant feat of strength, by the way – back to its burrow and lays an egg on its body. The egg then hatches and immediately begins eating its still-living meal. One spider-roll to go!

Here’s a video of a Tarantula Hawk Wasp going stinger to fangs with a tarantula – be afraid, tarantula, be VERY afraid!

Tarantula Hawk Wasp Attacks Tarantula, via CreekerCouncil

Giant Walking Stick

(images via: MethodShop, Mongabay and Texas Agrilife)

Entomologists have described over 3,000 species of Stick Insects, and those of the genus Phobaeticus – the Giant Walking Stick – are the world’s longest insects by far. Not including extended legs, these amazing creatures measure as much as 13 inches (33 cm) from head to the tip of their abdomen. Though Stick Insects of all types are strictly herbivorous, some species secrete a substance that produces intense irritation in the eyes and mouths of predators (or overly curious humans). In some cases, victims have been afflicted with temporary blindness.

(image via: Qskan)

A smaller species known as the Indian or Laboratory Stick Insect (Carausius morosus) is a popular pet – and no opposite sex is required for breeding because they are both male and female, reproducing via parthenogenesis. Their geeky owners can only look on with envy.

Giant Isopod

(images via: Driftline, Marki’s Block and ScienceBlogs)

What happens to whales when they die and sink deep, deep down to the Stygian depths of the ocean floor, miles below the surface? The Giant Isopod knows… and waits patiently, because the bigger they are, the harder they fall, and a decomposing whale is a blubbery buffet that keeps on serving way past closing time.

(image via: Daily Mail UK)

Giant Isopods of the genus Bathynomus normally grow up to 14 inches (35 cm) in length, although one found clinging to a remote-controlled submarine operated by oil workers in the Gulf of Mexico last April (2010) measured an astonishing 30 inches (75 cm) long!

(image via: Qskan)

Here’s a video of some Giant Isopods (and their scavenging buddies) in action, pumped up with a Yakety Sax soundtrack c/o the awesome BennyHillifier:

Time-Lapse Video of Deep Sea Feeding Frenzy, via Lifeisadancer

Isopods are actually a type of crustacean but they’re included here because their close relatives, the common terrestrial woodlouse or pillbug, is one of the commonest bugs people see. As for the deep sea Giant Isopod, if you thought its whale-eating lifestyle was weird, consider that of another isopod: Cymothoa exigua, the tongue-eating louse.

(image via: WebEcoist)

This li’l feller finds its way into a fish’s mouth and after avoiding being swallowed, bites the fish’s tongue and begins drinking its blood. After a while, the fish’s tongue shrivels up from lack of blood flow but Cymothoa doesn’t want its host to die… so it firmly grips the tongue stub with its lower legs and begins to act as the fish’s tongue! Nature… and you thought it was all rainbows, blossoms and Bambi.

(image via: Little Black Star)

If real large insects aren’t frightening enough, fictional ones should tip the scales… as in the classic Japanese sci-fi movie monster Mothra, who would often subdue competing creatures with a shower of poisonous scales. Nice to know Hollywood Far East has put our primeval fear of big bugs to good use. Oh, and… goodnight, sleep tight, and don’t let the big bugs bite!

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Kilauea, Hawaii, USA

(images via: Plan59, SlowTrav and WillGoTo)

Kilauea Volcano on the island of Hawaii (the Big Island) is widely considered to be the most active volcano on Earth. Over the course of its most recent eruption which began in January of 1983, the volcano has expelled enough lava to pave a road around the planet three times over.

(image via: NaturalPhotos)

If not for its brilliant orange lava fountains and slow-flowing rivers of molten rock, Kilauea wouldn’t be much to look at: though the summit is 4,091 feet (1,247m) above sea level, the gently sloping shield volcano is dwarfed by neighboring 13,677 ft (4,169m) high Mauna Loa… for the present, at least.

(image via: Kilauea Adventure)

Kilauea’s name means “spewing” in the Hawaiian language; an indication that the volcano has been erupting long before England’s Captain Cook discovered the Hawaiian Islands in the late 18th century. One relic of those days are the “1790 Footprints” preserved in hardened lava from an explosive eruption of Kilauea. The footprints are said to have been left by up to 80 warriors from a dissident Hawaiian faction who died in a pyroclastic flow from Kilauea.

Etna, Italy

(images via: TripAdvisor, Discovery and Wikimedia)

Mount Etna, on the Italian island of Sicily, has been erupting more or less continuously for the past 2,000 years though its overall history stretches back approximately 300,000 years. Though somewhat less famous (or infamous) than neighboring Mount Vesuvius, Mount Etna greatly outclasses the latter peak as it rises 2.5 times its height. In addition, most of Etna’s more spectacular eruptions and associated geological events occurred in prehistory. The volcano erupted in every year from 200 through 2008 and its recent eruption occurred in April of 2010.

(images via: Wohba)

Volcanoes occasionally belch giant smoke rings into the sky, a rare and curious phenomenon that can last up to 15 minutes and range in size up to 600 feet across! Mount Etna has blown volcanic smoke rings on a number of occasions; some of those that occurred during the 2000 eruption have been documented photographically.

Nyamuragira, Democratic Republic of Congo

(images via: VolcanoDiscovery, PHSchool, WorldPOI and FreeRepublic)

Mount Nyamuragira is an active volcano located in the Virunga Mountains of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Although it has erupted more than 30 times since explorers of European origin began documenting the mountain in the 1880s, recent eruptions have caused ever greater concern as the surrounding area has become heavily populated. As well, the Virunga range is one of the last remaining sanctuaries for threatened great apes including majestic Mountain Gorillas.

(image via: My Joy Online)

Mount Nyamuragira brought in the new year with an eruption: On January 2, 2010, lava began to flow from the main crater eventually reaching a distance of 1,640 feet (500m) downslope to the south and southwest. Mount Nyamuragira often exudes a particularly thin and fast-moving type of lava that makes any necessary evacuations hurried and often disorganized affairs.

Sakurajima, Japan

(images via: Tags-Search, Geology-SDSU and The Land of Fire, Satsuma)

The Sakurajima volcano is located on what was formerly an island in southern Japan’s Kagoshima Bay. The island is now connected to the mainland via a low-lying peninsula created by lava flows during the mountain’s immense eruption of 1914. Sakurajima stands 3,665 feet (1,117m) above sea level and has been erupting more or less continuously since 1955.

(image via: Pink Tentacle)

Sakurajima is a successor volcano that exudes and erupts magma from the huge subterranean chamber beneath the Aira Caldera. This 12 mile (20 km) wide caldera was created approximately 22,000 years ago in a massive eruption that sent ash and tephra hundreds of miles in every direction. Should Sakurajima follow the same path to destruction, millions of people will find themselves at extreme risk.

Erebus, Antarctica

(images via: James Caird Society and Rutgers)

The world’s most southerly active volcano, Mount Erebus has been erupting since 1972 though the eruptions have varied greatly in intensity. The 12,448 ft (3,794m) snow-covered stratovolcano is covered with snow but harbors in its crater a red hot, long-lasting lava lake that can be seen from space.

(image via: Neatorama)

Mount Erebus regularly subjects its frigid environs to a blast of geothermal activity, resulting in ethereal ice caves and horn-like fumaroles carved out of its icy coat by scalding steam. Though considered to be in a state of eruption, Mount Erebus behaves rather calmly (as volcanoes go) and has been extensively studied by volcanologists based at nearby McMurdo Station (USA) and Scott Base (NZ).

Chaitén, Chile

(images via: UPI, Xinhuanet and FEWW)

The Chaitén volcano in southern Chile began erupting on May 2 of 2008, an event that caught scientists by surprise as the mountain’s last eruption was estimated to have occurred about 9,500 years ago. Though the mountain is still in an eruptive state, the initial stages were marked by the expulsion of voluminous ash clouds shot through by incandescent bolts of lightning.

(image via: Brisbane Times)

Within 24 hours of the eruption’s inception, a huge plume of ash had risen tens of thousands of feet into the sky, there to be blown to the southeast by upper level winds. The ash plume was photographed from orbiting satellites and can be seen above, stretching completely across the width of Argentina and far into the South Atlantic Ocean.

Anak Krakatau, Indonesia

(images via: Kaskus, Jorge Santos and Joe Meintjes Travel)

Anak Krakatau (“child of Krakatoa”) may not be especially large but note the name – it carries within it the seeds of future disaster. Though the famed 1883 explosive eruption of its parent peak (Krakatoa, east of Java) caused the deaths of roughly 36,000 people, a similar event today would be unfathomably worse due to exceptional population growth over the past century.

(image via: Mornby)

As Anak Krakatau grows larger – it’s been adding approximately 5 inches (13cm) per week to its height since 1955 – it also grows more dangerous. The volcano’s current eruptive phase began in April of 2008 and is ongoing.

(image via: Dennis Dimick)

Anak Krakatau first poked its summit above the surface of the Sunda Strait between the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra in August of 1930 and by 2005 had reached a height of 985 feet (300m)… when Krakatoa exploded with the force of a 200 megaton atomic bomb in 1883 it was 2,667 ft (813m) high.

Tungurahua, Ecuador

(images via: ScienceBlogs and Essential Amazon Adventure)

Tungurahua is one of the world’s tallest volcanoes, soaring 16,480 ft (5,023 m) into the thin Andean air above the South American nation of Ecuador. Those figures will likely need to be revised… Tungurahua has been actively erupting since 1999 with major eruptions occurring in 2006 and 2008.

(image via: NASA)

As with most high volcanoes in the Andes, Tungurahua’s upper slopes are snow-covered and the summit is capped by a small glacier… well, they were until 1999 when the volcano’s eruption quickly melted them away. The greatest danger from such volcanoes is not so much the ash, lava and superheated pyroclastic flows, but flooding and mudslides sweeping into populated areas on the volcano’s lower slopes. The evacuation of 25,000 people from the hot springs resort town of Banos was mainly to safeguard them from that possibility.

Yasur, Vanuatu

(images via: RedBubble, VivaProject and TravelPod)

Mount Yasur, on Tanna Island in the South Pacific archipelago of Vanuatu, not only has been erupting for many centuries, but perks up several times per hour! Though just 1,184 feet (361m) in height, Mount Yasur is crowned by an almost perfectly circular summit crater over 1,300 feet (400m) wide.

(image via: Volcano Discovery)

Much like Hawaii’s Kilauea, Mount Yasur erupts in a very predictable manner and at a steady level of activity, allowing tourists to approach to very close distances. An example of this was seen during the broadcast of “Survivor: Vanuatu – Islands of Fire”, when players who won a reward challenge enjoyed a picnic of hotdogs and beer while Mount Yasur’s lava fountains provided a unique sound and light show.

Eyjafjallajökull, Iceland

(images via: Stromboli Online)

Last but not least, the noisy newsmaker itself – Eyjafjallajökull. The volcano’s current eruptive phase may have only just begun: its previous eruption which began in December of 1821 lasted well into 1823. Volcanologists have determined that Eyjafjallajökull also erupted in the year 1612, and before that in 920.

(images via: Stromboli Online and The Great Beyond)

Ominously, each of the three previous eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull were followed by the eruption of Katla, a much larger subglacial volcano just 15 miles (25km) away. In a BBC interview broadcast on April 20, Icelandic President Ólafur Grímsson described the current chaos caused by Eyjafjallajökull as “a small rehearsal”, and warned that “the time for Katla to erupt is coming close… we [Iceland] have prepared… it is high time for European governments and airline authorities all over the world to start planning for the eventual Katla eruption.” C’mon Ólafur, don’t sugarcoat it, give it to us straight, OK?

Just to show that Ólafur isn’t kidding, here’s a video showing what active Icelandic volcanoes like Eyjafjallajökull are all about:

Volcano Eyjafjallajoekull at Iceland, via Marcszeglat

(images via: PC WIN and Daily Mail UK)

Some wonder as to the reasons for the increasing appearances of volcanic eruptions in the news media (global warming? The End Times?), but in actuality it’s WE who are appearing more – in closer proximity to active volcanoes than ever before. Population pressure will do that and there’s nothing like an infusion of volcanic ash and minerals to boost the fertility of soil and attract opportunistic farmers. One might say, don’t blame science fiction, instead blame human friction.

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