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Emancipated
Sep 27th, 2005, 09:53 AM
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4285878.stm

Gas, in the form of CO2 guilefully hidden in these serene mountain ranges in Cameroon have erupted twice in recent history. It's also in stuff of history legends about how dinosaurs died in the past. Fast and furious release of CO2 engulfing the atmosphere, and death via asphyxiation.

Cool and deadly, at the same time.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/05/sci_nat_enl_1127817614/img/1.jpg

Lake Nyos in normal conditions (left) and just after the 1986 gas release (right). The sudden welling up of carbon dioxide from the bottom of the lake brought iron to the surface, which oxidised, creating the brown rust colour.

NDman
Sep 27th, 2005, 10:00 AM
Nice thread title. Interesting newspiece

deep
Sep 27th, 2005, 10:01 AM
Yep - whole villages have been wiped out by CO2 bursts. We always think of carbon MONOxide as being dangerous, but CO2 is an incredibly fast acting toxin, in sufficient concentrations.

Emancipated
Sep 27th, 2005, 10:04 AM
I don't think Cameroon can use it as a tourist attraction like Old Faithful in Yellowstone. It's like the Eagle's song; Hotel California - once you check in, you can never leave :twisted: