Krakatoa: The Day the World Exploded: August 27, 1883.SIMON WINCHESTER Simon Winchester, OBE (born September 28, 1944), is a British author and journalist. Winchester studied geology at St Catherine's College, Oxford before working in Africa and on offshore oil rigs. More than 40,000 people perished as a result of the eruption of the Krakatoa volcano in Java nearly 125 years ago. Most of these people were killed as a result of the giant tsunamis it triggered. The blast was so intense that people felt it thousands of miles away. Pumice pumice (pŭm`ĭs), volcanic glass formed by the solidification of lava that is permeated with gas bubbles. Usually found at the surface of a lava flow, it is colorless or light gray and has the general appearance of a rock froth. from Krakatoa floated as far as the coast of Africa. The volcano itself exploded into oblivion. Many people in the area believed that the world was coming to an end. However, once the dust settled, scientists began to see Krakatoa as an opportunity for gleaning Harvesting for free distribution to the needy, or for donation to a nonprofit organization for ultimate distribution to the needy, an agricultural crop that has been donated by the owner. insight into both the beginnings of life on what was suddenly a barren landscape and the effects of subsurface sub·sur·face adj. Of, relating to, or situated in an area beneath a surface, especially the surface of the earth or of a body of water. Adj. 1. Earth movements. Just as compelling is the significance of this event as the first global news story. Via new, state-of-the-art underwater telegraph cables, news of the eruption traveled the globe in a matter of hours. Winchester deftly blends all these elements into a stirring account. He examines the event's long-lasting repercussions repercussions npl → répercussions fpl repercussions npl → Auswirkungen pl for both the people and wildlife of Java and reports on his recent visit there to witness a new mountain rising on the volcano's site at a rate of 20 feet in height and 40 feet in width per year. HarpC, 2003, 416 p., b&w photos/illus., hardcover, $25.95. |
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