
Would we survive if Yellowstone had to erupt?


It depends- are we talking about a little leaking, or a supereruption? In either case, humanity as a whole would do just fine- we survived Toba, and that was 70,000 years ago. A supereruption would be a serious blow to the strength and power of the United States, and that might ripple outwards and cause all sorts of problems, but those are second-order effects.
Here's a related horrifying question: given how much warning seismography gives us about regular volcanoes going off, how much warning do you think we'd have for a supereruption? Given that there's absolutely nothing that can be done to stop it, and that we'd need to evacuate six whole states (and that's just the NEED to evacuate zones), how much warning do you think would be given? You can't just keep it silent; private ownership of the equipment to detect how big the vibrations are is still legal, but how many DO? Would there be attempts to discredit those who shout a warning? The panicked bloodbath that would ensue if word got out would probably dwarf the damage caused by letting it erupt, human nature being what it is.
_ 🎖 _
If Yellowstone erupted, it would create an ash cloud so big that it would cover half of the U. S. reach into Canada, and many even touch parts of Mexico. An eruption that large would likely trigger an earthquake along every fault line on the same tectonic plate. And that ash cloud would even reach into the U. S. agricultural belt, killing crops and animals, depending upon how thick the ash is. That ash cloud is even big enough to effect temperatures on a global scale, maybe even triggering a second ice age.
So to answer your question, yes humanity would survive. Granted, not many in North America, especially the United States, but still.
_ 🎖 _
nope, it's a super volcano, probably no one in the U. S. and some other countries, maybe even the world if it created an impact winter or little ice age. Read about Krakatoa in 1880 and Frankenstein and the year without a summer in 1816
Thank you for your comment 😊
weird things are always good to share
that's what she said _ 🎀 _
Opinion
18Opinion
It doesn’t seem like it would be a huge deal here. In Florida simulations project something like 2 mm of ash falling on our state. The silica would probably make my sugarcane grow better… That’s about it. Long run the temps would drop for several years. That’s not really a big deal when you live in the subtropics. I can produce my own food on my land if I need to. The biggest issue would be refugees from other states and crop failures throughout The Great Plains.
_ 🎖 _
Depends on whether it’s a minor eruption or the whole enchilada goes up. If it’s full on a 6 state area will be destroyed within 2 hours, the rest of the planet will die from nuclear winter.
hardcore â˜
Likely not I’m on the west coast but I’m more worried about mt st helens going off again or Rainer coming back to life then I am worried about Yellowstone blowing up
Ask a scientist, not a social club. Signs point to probably not, though.
Seismic activity would provide plenty of warning of a super-eruption. The US government has agreements in place with some southern hemisphere nations to resettle people if necessary.
Well that depends whom is we if we is fellow Americans near yellow stone then no your dead if we is the human race as a whole then yeah we should survive
Yes. We'd have plenty of notice and it's not going to kill us all like some people say it will.
Depends on how close you are. But the whole world would probably be plunged into an ice age
Humanity would survive. Individual people that's another question.
Some people will. I probably won't; I live to close to Yellowstone.
I would because I’m really far from that but people for miles would be in trouble just like what happened at mount saint helens years ago
Where are you in the world?
@UncleJessieRabbit East coast of USA
The United states would be engulfed. I don't think it would reach other counties though
I don't think so, but I'm not sure we'd want to if that thing goes.
No, id be right in the path of the ash cloud.
Depends on how distant you are from it
Yes…,
nope
I hope so :P
Probably not
Most Helpful Opinions