On an early May morning in 1883, the captain of the German warship Elisabeth spotted a cloud of ash and dust rising above the uninhabited island of Krakatau. Little did the captain know that his documentation of this ominous cloud would be one of the first recorded volcanic eruptions from this Indonesian island in at least two centuries. Over the next two months, … [Read more...] about On This Day: Historic Krakatau Eruption of 1883
natural disasters
Succulent smuggling: why are South Africa’s rare desert plants vanishing?
Unique species in ‘the world’s most biodiverse desert’ are at risk from a warming planet and the lucrative plant poaching trade In May 2020, 10mm of rain fell at Sendelingsdrif Rest Camp in South Africa’s most north-westerly corner. After enduring nine years of almost zero rain, Pieter van Wyk, a 32-year-old self-taught botanist who heads up the Richtersveld national park’s … [Read more...] about Succulent smuggling: why are South Africa’s rare desert plants vanishing?
Yes, Photo Shows Flamingos in Zoo Bathroom During Hurricane Andrew
The 1992 storm marks one of the most devastating natural disasters in U.S. history. For more than three decades, a photograph showing dozens of flamingos huddled in a zoo bathroom has become an iconic representation of Hurricane Andrew, one of the most destructive natural disasters in U.S. history. The photograph, which has been shared on social media in various forms … [Read more...] about Yes, Photo Shows Flamingos in Zoo Bathroom During Hurricane Andrew