Environment

A scientist has warned that Earth is not prepared for the next major volcanic eruption and that humanity has "no plan" to address this looming threat.

Professor Markus Stoffel, an expert in climatology, believes such a dramatic event could trigger "climate chaos," comparable to the 1815 eruption of Mount Tambora. That eruption spewed 24 cubic meters of lava and caused a significant spike in global temperatures.

Thousands of lives were lost during the catastrophe, and crops were devastated.

Research by volcanologists suggests that in a warmer atmosphere, sulfur dioxide and sulfate aerosols would spread more rapidly, potentially slowing the cooling effects typically associated with volcanic eruptions.

Dr Michael Rampino, geological scientist, said: "The effects could be even worse than in 1815. The world is more unstable now."

Another expert, Cambridge atmospheric scientist Dr Anja Schmidt, said: "There is a sweet spot in terms of the size of these tiny and shiny particles."

(QG - Source: The Daily Star / Picture: © Unsplash)