ASSOCIATED PRESS
In this Thursday, Aug. 1, 2019, aerial photo, a small pond of green water is seen at the lowest point of Kilauea volcano’s Halemaʻumaʻu Crater in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park in Hawaii. The discovery is the first time water has been observed in the Big Island crater in recorded history. When lava interacts with water it can cause explosive eruptions, but scientists say it’s too soon to know if the pond will cause a violent reaction.
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Water usually quenches fire, but scientists are wary about how those elements interact in a volcano.
Kilauea, at rest after the prolonged 2018 eruptions, has a newly discovered pond of water at the bottom of Halemaumau Crater — water that could prove explosive.
Meanwhile, over at Yellowstone National Park’s famous water spouts, some wonder about recently quickening geyser activity. Experts foresee no lava eruption, but if they’re wrong, that “supervolcano” would dwarf anything Kilauea could produce.
Eyeing the Canary Islands
Thirty Meter Telescope officials said this week that news of their application for a Canary Islands building permit does not mean they’re giving up on Hawaii.
In response, activist Kealoha Pisciotta, who has led the lengthy — and now tapped-out — legal challenge against building the next-generation telescope on Mauna Kea, suggested that switching to a “Plan B” site on La Palma island would “be a win for everyone.”
Not for TMT’s supporters. Hawaii island, which offers an ideal location for the telescope, was selected as its home more than a decade ago. TMT’s backers are dismayed to see protesters continuing to block the start of construction work.