Hot news about volcanoes!

The programme celebrates local scientific heroes, the pioneers, mavericks and geniuses who, for centuries, have changed the way we live and see the world. The events celebrate the contributions made to science and engineering by distinguished local fellows of the world’s oldest science academy.

Pupils from Dalriada School and nine other schools attended a special talk at W5 by eminent geologist and BBC broadcaster Professor Iain Stewart covering the hot topic of volcanoes.

During the last few centuries, a few volcanoes have blasted their imprints onto human history. The June 1991 eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in the Philippines injected large amounts of ash and sulphur dioxide gas into the atmosphere, causing global temperatures to fall an estimated mean of 0.4 degrees Fahrenheit over two years.

When the Indonesian volcano Krakatoa erupted in 1883, the explosion and resulting tsunamis killed 36,000 people. The eruption dropped global temperatures about one degree Fahrenheit and caused striking multi-coloured sunsets around the world. One blood-red sunset is said to have inspired Norwegian painter Edvard Munch to create 'The Scream.'

Throughout human history, volcanoes have been a fatal attraction to society and to geologists like Professor Stewart who study them. In a tour of some of the Earth’s most volatile volcanoes, the pupils were shown how volcanoes can be valuable windows giving an insight into how the world works.

This RS talk was supported by Geological Survey of Northern Ireland and for full details of the Royal Society Local Heroes talks and events at W5 visit www.w5online.co.uk or phone 028 9046 7700.