Global Warming Influences Volcanic Activity
I once thought volcanoes were one natural phenomenon human-induced climate change didn’t impact, but I was wrong
So, my mom and I recently traveled to Hawaii to visit my aunt and cousin, the latter of which I hadn’t seen in over twenty years. It was a wonderful experience, both the long-overdue reunion and exploring the island for my first time ever. My cousin took me on a volcano hike where we galavanted across lava fields and climbed to the tippy top of a hidden caldera.
One night we all went to a park to see glowing red lava beneath the strikingly clear Milky Way — a sight I’ll never forget. But it also renewed my interest in volcanos, and I wondered about their role in climate change. After all, of all the natural phenomena global warming creates, volcanos seem to be the only ones uninfluenced by us humans. But it turns out my assumption was wrong.
Initial Curiosity
Extreme temperature swings, wildfires, hurricanes, floods, tornados, and more are awe-inspiring natural phenomena, to be sure — but these days, they’re also symptoms of human-caused global warming. And while standing there with my cousin, watching the lava glow, I thought perhaps volcanoes are one natural phenomenon safe from our influence.
