1977 CE - Ali Maow Maalin, the last person in the world to naturally contract the smallpox virus, is infected in Merca, Somalia. He will make a full recovery. The date will be remembered as the anniversary of the eradication of smallpox, the most spectacular success of vaccination.
Photo of the Day
In the News
US Nurse Quarantined Over Ebola Criticizes Her Treatment
Iraqi Security Forces and Kurds Gain Ground Against ISIS
Canadians Flock to Parliament Hill, Site of Attack on Soldier
War-Weary Ukraine Set to Pick Pro-Western Parliament in Election
Einstein's Gravity Waves Could Be Found with New Method
Iraqi Security Forces and Kurds Gain Ground Against ISIS
Canadians Flock to Parliament Hill, Site of Attack on Soldier
War-Weary Ukraine Set to Pick Pro-Western Parliament in Election
Einstein's Gravity Waves Could Be Found with New Method
Quote of the Day
"Should not the Society of Indexers be knows as Indexers, Society of, The?". --Keith Waterhouse
Song of the Day
Artist - Toadies
Album - Rubberneck
Film of the Day
Director - Wim Wenders
Starring - Harry Dean Stanton, Nastassja Kinski, Dean Stockwell
Wiki of the Day
The 1883 eruption of Krakatoa in the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) began on August 26, 1883 (with origins as early as May of that year) and culminated with several destructive eruptions of the remaining caldera. On August 27, two thirds of Krakatoa collapsed in a chain of titanic explosions, destroying most of the island and its surrounding archipelago. Additional alleged seismic activity continued to be reported until February 1884, though reports of those after October 1883 were later dismissed by Rogier Verbeek's investigation. It was one of the deadliest and most destructive volcanic events in recorded history, with at least 36,417 deaths being attributed to the eruption itself and the tsunamis it created. Significant additional effects were also felt around the world.
In the years before the 1883 eruption, seismic activity around the volcano was intense, with earthquakes felt as far away as Australia. Beginning 20 May 1883, steam venting began to occur regularly from Perboewatan, the northernmost of the island's three cones. Eruptions of ash reached an estimated altitude of 6 km (20,000 ft) and explosions could be heard in New Batavia (Jakarta) 160 km (99 mi) away. Activity died down by the end of May, and there was no further recorded activity for several weeks.
Eruptions started again around 16 June, featuring loud explosions and covering the islands with a thick black cloud for five days. On 24 June, a prevailing east wind cleared the cloud, and two ash columns were seen issuing from Krakatoa. The seat of the eruption is believed to have been a new vent or vents which formed between Perboewatan and Danan. The violence of the ongoing eruptions caused tides in the vicinity to be unusually high, and ships at anchor had to be moored with chains as a result. Earthquake shocks began to be felt at Anyer, West Java, and ships began to report large pumice masses appearing in the Indian Ocean to the west.
No comments:
Post a Comment