Works for me.

The problem is that the explosive volcanism that is creating the ash is the result of gases within the magma exsolving. Merely making the hole wider
Just makes the hole wider. It doesn't actually solve the problem. What happens if you have to dig down a kilometer or two? You just unburden the magma more causing more gases to exsolve. Better just to ride it out.
It would be better to dump stuff on top of the hole but you would need a lot of stuff and you'd only be postponing the problem.

British finance minister?

I think you'll find they've had practice enough in more recent times .

They would probably miss and hit Reykjavik. Not a good idea

Why are there lightnings in an volcanic eruption?

This would actually mean that some of the same things are happening in an volcanic eruption as in a thunderstorm then ...

Funny, I never paid any attention to that before.

Someone has angered Thor. Probably the volcano, or the glacier itself. One thing is clear though. Thor must be appeased.

Any of the scientist know how we'd go about appeasing a powerful Norse God with a penchant for hammers, Thursdays, lightning, and blowing up BA check-in desks?

Beer? Mead? A good nosh?

Isn't Loki more likely to be responsible here?

I got good odds on Jormanganr at William Hill's


As for the lightning, quite similar to thunderstroms: a lot of energy about
generally, and a lot of matter moving in different directions at high speeds,
building up charge.

right ... and all that is happening in those clouds ... so a volcanic eruption without clouds has no lightning ... seems logical.

edit: or shall I rather say it makes sense before sharkey makes any comments on a woman's logic capacities.

Sacrifice a comley maiden, works every time - looks like Begga's number's up.

Mostly right, but needs a bit of clarification. In both volcanoes and thunderstorms there are particles in the air, ash and ice respectively. Light particles rise, heavy particles fall. As they do, the knock into each other, knocking of electrons. So now you have a cloud with a lot of surplus electrons, which gives the cloud a negative charge. Anywhere else (ground, other part of cloud, etc), may have a positive charge. Negative & positive meet along a "feeler" = discharge aka lightning.

(1) Except for the heavy particles, e.g. hailstones, that also rise in updraughts. Repeatedly.
(And the light particles in downdraughts that, well, go down.)
(2) Unless it becomes positively charged.
(3) Or it may have a negative charge. See (2) above.
(4) "feeler"? No. The leader connects with one of a number of streamers that extend towards it.

Flogged to death here...

ok, two Questions of Great Import currently gnawing away at me...


1/ What if the Hokey-Cokey really is what it's all about?


2/ Has any of you informed science/engineering/reality types here read any of Dan Brown's books from cover to cover and retained your sanity?

I've been pulled up for ridiculing him and his novels without "giving him a chance". In short, I've been challenged to read "Angels and Demons". "Seems fair enough", I thought - until I actually started to read.

So, trying desperately to ignore the appalling style in which it's written, I've got to about page 40, and it's been absolute a-g-o-n-y. From the bit called "FACT" before the story actually begins, where he bangs on about antimatter as if it's something "new". To the "Boeing" X-33. And "the Glass Cathedral" at CERN. And the indoor skydiving chamber there. etc.

The question is - is there any decent/correct science anywhere in the book, or is it all going to be a similar mashup of incorrect statements and/or not-understood regurgitations, accompanied by lack of research, with dollops of superfluous fictional "detail"?

Or should I just do myself a favour by giving up now, and acknowledging "defeat"?

.

I read The Da Vinci Code. Finished it easily enough, but about 3 chapters in I realised that I'd have to treat it like a comedy instead of a thriller if I was going to finish it.

By the way. It makes a terrible comedy

I always thought it was about 42.

No?
The message you have entered is too short. Please lengthen your message to at least 10 characters.

Trust me ... give up now. It is all garbage. I know without even opening the cover. That's what years of scientific training gets you.

Then you better start putting your left leg in...

Took the comedy advice - should have taken the "give up now" advice. Two-thirds through, a lifetime of agony still to go.


"Inside, a single man stood in silence. Old and alone."

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!!!!

i read da vinci code and angels and demons. i thought they were both entertaining.

i think you should chill out. they're light fiction books, not articles submitted to a scientific journal.