it’s not science fiction...Though I do sorta expect a giant alien saucer to emerge from that cloud:
It’s the result of that enormous volcanic eruption in Iceland. You know, the one that has shut down air traffic across Europe, and may not allow planes to fly for days to come. Because volcanic ash is apparently very very bad for jet engines. No, it’s not movie-related, but it’s extremely cool and scary and interesting, and it’s the kind of thing that lodges in my brain and rattles around and becomes the kind of thing that influences how I think about stuff, even if only sidewise and obliquely, and in turn might someday influence my reaction to a movie. It makes me think: We think we’re so powerful, but once in a while, the planet reminds us that in its eyes, we’re bugs. (See a full-size version of that awesome photo at MSNBC.) support
Disqus commentsblog comments powered by Disqus |
posted:
Thu Apr 15 10, 8:23PM categories: easter eggs permalink 11 pre-Disqus comments Disqus comments tip jarshare
read morerelated· question of the weekend: Does it freak you out to hear that scientists have discovered a “second Earth”? · church of awesome: in case of fire... · question of the day: What is your earliest geek memory? · watch it: “Queen Bohemian Rhapsody Old School Computer Remix” · Saturday cute: geekiest, most adorable wedding pix ever · watch it: ‘Drive,’ starring Han Solo · question of the day: Are “slave Leias” and other “sexy” geek costumes feminist and empowering, demeaning and sexist, or something in between? · question of the day: Who are the coolest scientists on TV or in movies? · Saturday cute: Keep Calm and Cookie Rocket T-shirt · question of the day: What are the makings of a great science fiction hero? bloggyprevious post: because reality shows have just been too, you know, *real* next post: watch it: 1960s Chatty Cathy doll commercial |
|
|
search
follow
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(in case of site outages or other emergencies, I'll update my status on Twitter and Facebook)
|
||
follow FlickFilosopher.com no matter where you are online
|
||
share and enjoy
shop to support
support FlickFilosopher.com when you click through here and buy almost anything at:
• Amazon U.S.
• Amazon Canada
• Amazon U.K.
• Amazon Germany
• Amazon France
• Amazon Spain
• Amazon Italy
• Chapters/Indigo (Canada)
• Amazon U.S.
• Amazon Canada
• Amazon U.K.
• Amazon Germany
• Amazon France
• Amazon Spain
• Amazon Italy
• Chapters/Indigo (Canada)
pre-Disqus comments
posted by Kenny (Thu Apr 15 10, 8:45PM)
Yeh... jet engines don't usually react well to having their turbine blades sand blasted and their inner workings lined with molten volcanic glass.
On the plus side, airliners do survive it.... as, after all their engines stall and they go into long unpowered glides, the cold air rushing through the engine is usually enough to unclog the glass and allow the engine to restart.
At least it has been with all the jets that survived...
On a side note... yes to the bugs thing, but we can still shave the tops off mountains. This is the anthropocene after all.
P.S. I hope the ash cloud plays nice and moves out of the way by the end of May. I've got places to goooo!!!
posted by Hank Graham (Fri Apr 16 10, 3:12AM)
That's the fakest special effects I've ever seen.
posted by Isobel (Fri Apr 16 10, 3:43AM)
I don't know how far over the UK that cloud has actually spread - it's very high in the atmosphere by the time it gets here, I think - but it certainly affected the sunset here last night, and the clouds were definitely behaving slightly oddly on the way to work this morning (I work in Westminster).
Scary. It better be done by the end of May, I've got places to go too. I think they were expecting flights to be disrupted through next week and then it should be sorted.
posted by Lisa (Fri Apr 16 10, 4:40AM)
I got places to go end of April - I've got family stuck in England at the moment can't get home too which is quite aggravating and worrying.
That's a beautiful shot, though. The power of nature is amazing. I've been coughing all morning anyone else have that problem?
posted by englerp (Fri Apr 16 10, 4:45AM)
There are also some nice satellite photos of the cloud:
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2010/04/15/iceland-volcano-eruption-making-an-ash-of-itself/
posted by Bluejay (Fri Apr 16 10, 8:23AM)
"This is not the weather of the world. This is a device of Sauron’s making. A broil of fume he sends ahead of his host..."
I hope it clears up soon as well, for people's sake--but to be honest, I don't think nature cares if people have places to go. I think that was kind of MaryAnn's point. ;-)
posted by Brian (Fri Apr 16 10, 9:48AM)
Heh. That's exactly what leapt to mind for me, too, Bluejay. Maybe it's not entirely coincidental, either, since Tolkien was intimately familiar with the sagas of Iceland.
posted by LaSargenta (Fri Apr 16 10, 2:10PM)
Mother Nature Bats Last.
posted by e (Fri Apr 16 10, 2:20PM)
Man I just only heard about it as I got home late from work last night. End of may is my first time outside of US that isn't canada/mexico/cruise, and anxious to see how this will affect things.
It is however, amazing to look at.
posted by Mimi (Mon Apr 19 10, 4:46PM)
Check it out with lightning! Ooooooh.
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/glance/1041824/lightning-flashes-over-iceland-volcano
posted by amanohyo (Mon Apr 19 10, 10:30PM)
Oooooh, that is cool Mimi...there are a couple more here. Better than any special effects I've ever seen. The Apocalypse sure will be pretty.