Doomsday!

Doomsday predictions have been around for hundreds of years, which if you think about it is proof that they're never right!


Lately I've seen comments on volcanic eruptions at Mt. Etna in Italy, Sakurajima in Japan, and Tolbachik in far-eastern Russia, and they all go about like this: "SUBSCRIBE FOR PREDICTIONS THAT MAY AFFECT YOU - -...Massive record breaking volcanic eruptions strike Russia...REVELATION... The appearance of smoke is seen emerging out of the ground all over the earth. It appears generally white or foam like, coming out of cracks in the ground, seemingly blurring the images of certain structures. The word sulphur is heard...." and various quotations of Biblical scripture.


Facts: Every day, dozens of volcanoes erupt around the earth. This is news to a lot of people, but it's old news to the volcanoes and volcanologists! The advent (pardon the wording) of omnipresent cameras and instant global communications has fundamentally changed mankind's view of the world. Only within the past 15 years do we see video of a volcanic eruption, earthquake, tsunami, flood, or landslide in a far-off and remote place within hours or even minutes of its occurrence. The result is a change in mankind's perception. It only seems like there are more natural disasters now than in the past because we hear and see about them much more than at any time in the past. Another factor is the yearly increase in scientific instrumentation (like seismometers and satellites) that record more and more events every year.


Reality: There are no more earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or other natural disasters in the world today than in the past. Experts have data to prove it, which you can find on the web with minimal effort (remember to stick to expert sources -- the scientists and their agencies themselves. For most natural events, try USGS.gov, the U.S. Geological Survey). And in fact, for any category of natural disaster you can name, there are examples of bigger, badder ones in the past (which you can also find via the experts). Some day, I'll post examples.


Another factor: Because global population has doubled in the past several decades and technology and wealth allow us to live in locations where we never did before, more people are in the way of natural disasters. That means more people are affected by natural disasters now than at any time in the past.


Summary: Doomsday postponed.