YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK

EB/S Vieira de Araújo

English

Teacher: Fátima Sousa

Yellowstone Park

Established in 1872, Yellowstone National Park is America's first national park. Located in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho, most visitors go to Yellowstone Park to enjoy its amazing scenery, flora and fauna. It is an incredible place:

2.2 million acres of plateau and mountain ranges...

...home to over 50 species of mammals,...

...290 species of birds,...

...18 species of fish,...

...1,110 types of native plants,...

...110 waterfalls,...

...around 250 active geysers,...

…canyons,...

...and many other wonderful natural features. It must be one of the most beautiful places on earth.

But what most people don’t know is that Yellowstone is also one of the most dangerous places on our planet! It is the site of one of the largest active super volcanoes, or calderas, in the world.

The question all volcanologists are asking is what will happen

when Yellowstone erupts?

Scientists predict the following: the force of the eruption will equal 1,000 nuclear bombs exploding every second. The temperature of the earth’s atmosphere will decrease by around 21ºC –enough to start a new Ice Age. The American continent might disappear and only a few thousand people would survive. But the important thing to remember is that the inevitable eruption of Yellowstone will probably take place in the near future of the planet, not in the near future of people.