Everything started around five years ago. Aaron Hayes, a twenty-eight-year-old scientist, was checking the results of his last experiment when he stared perplexed at the data…
"This isn't good," Aaron muttered.
Aaron was a geologist. Although he was a genius that could have entered any field that he wanted, he felt a great connection to the planet and he enjoyed the idea of studying it and predicting based on data that he had when certain things would happen.
Usually, it was supposed to be impossible to determine when a volcano would erupt and when an earthquake would take place, but since he became a doctor eight years ago, he managed to pull that off several times by analyzing the movements of animals, weather conditions and also the history of those places. He managed to warn people about the eruption of five volcanoes within six months of antecedence… Thanks to it, his lab has been receiving a lot of financial support lately. That was useful, but he felt annoyed when people tried to convince him to do what he didn't want to.
Regardless, considering the data that he received all over the world, and the fact that he went to check those places himself to double-check the data, Aaron was certain of one thing… the world was going to end.
"The data says that over a thousand volcanoes are showing signs of awakening in the next few years… there are places that do not even have volcanoes that are showing the same signs," Aaron rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "It seems that they are being formed right now and all at once… if they erupt in the next few decades, the planet won't be able to sustain life."
Volcanic eruptions can cause a variety of problems and have significant impacts on the environment, human populations, and infrastructure. Some of the key problems associated with volcanic eruptions include Ashfalls. Volcanic ash, composed of fine rock particles, can be ejected into the atmosphere during eruptions. Ashfall can cause respiratory issues and eye irritation and pose a threat to agriculture, livestock, and infrastructure. It can disrupt transportation systems, damage machinery, and contaminate water sources.
There are also the Pyroclastic Flows. These are fast-moving currents of hot gas, ash, and volcanic materials that rush down the slopes of a volcano during an eruption. They can travel at high speeds, causing massive destruction and posing a significant threat to human life and infrastructure in their path.
Molten lava released during eruptions can flow down the sides of a volcano, destroying everything in its path. Lava flows can be slow-moving or fast, depending on the viscosity of the lava. They can engulf homes, vegetation, and infrastructure, displacing communities and causing extensive damage.
There are mudflows and debris flows triggered by volcanic activity. Lahars occur when volcanic materials mix with water, such as from melting snow or heavy rainfall, creating a fast-moving slurry that can travel down river valleys. Lahars can bury communities, damage infrastructure, and contaminate water sources.
Volcanoes release a variety of gases during eruptions, including sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide. These gases can have harmful effects on human health, leading to respiratory problems, asphyxiation, and acid rain. They can also contribute to air pollution and climate change.
Volcanic activity can trigger seismic events, including earthquakes. These earthquakes can cause structural damage to buildings, landslides, and infrastructure. In some cases, volcanic eruptions occurring near coastlines can generate tsunamis, which can devastate coastal communities.
Large volcanic eruptions can inject massive amounts of ash and gases into the atmosphere. The volcanic aerosols can reflect sunlight, causing a temporary cooling effect on the Earth's surface.
Imagine all that happening several times a year in the next few decades… the result would be catastrophic… billions would die, and the planet would become a hell for people for hundreds of years… humans would decrease to a couple of millions at best.
"What can I do to prevent this? Absolutely nothing… this is way beyond human power," Aaron thought while throwing his papers to the side. "The best option is to build underground shelters that will withstand the earthquakes and tsunamis, find the places that will be the least affected and then build them there… that will have to be done in secrecy and only a selected few will be chosen while everyone will contribute for it without knowing and they will eventually die… I don't like this."
Call him naive. Aaron didn't mind it. He was a scientist, he disliked the idea of choosing the least worst option instead of trying to find the best one and work hard to make it work… Still, the 'enemy' was Mother Nature… she had all the power of the world to lash against humans, and the best solution was impossible to imagine.
Aaron sat down at his table and then stared at the ceiling for hours and hours. People who worked there came and went and ignored him since they could tell that he was busy thinking about something difficult. That was what he does when he is bothered by something, he stared at the ceiling with his hands enthralled on the back of his head.
"I need to develop a plan for each country to save as many people as possible. I will need to gather data about everything they have and can do… that is the only option," Aaron thought, and then he blinked several times when the space around him suddenly got darker, and he felt that he was falling from his chair, but he didn't reach the ground.