Ancient Tsunami Could Have Wiped Out Scottish Cities Today, Study Finds (theguardian.com) 28
Towns and cities across Scotland would be devastated if the country's coastline was hit by a tsunami of the kind that happened 8,200 years ago, according to an academics' study. From a report: While about 370 miles of Scotland's northern and eastern coastline were affected when the Storegga tsunami struck, the study suggests a modern-day disaster of the same magnitude would have worse consequences.
The researchers at the universities of Sheffield, St Andrews and York attributed this to denser human populations and higher sea levels that could potentially destroy seafront and port areas of Arbroath, Stonehaven, Aberdeen, Inverness and Wick, all of which have significant built-up areas less than 10 metres above sea level and directly face the sea. The study which maps the impact of the ancient tsunami for the first time, used modelling to estimate how far the wave would have travelled inland. The estimates suggest the water could have encroached up to 18 miles inland. That distance today would probably leave a town such as Montrose, which overlooks a tidal lagoon and has a population of 12,000, completely devastated.
The researchers at the universities of Sheffield, St Andrews and York attributed this to denser human populations and higher sea levels that could potentially destroy seafront and port areas of Arbroath, Stonehaven, Aberdeen, Inverness and Wick, all of which have significant built-up areas less than 10 metres above sea level and directly face the sea. The study which maps the impact of the ancient tsunami for the first time, used modelling to estimate how far the wave would have travelled inland. The estimates suggest the water could have encroached up to 18 miles inland. That distance today would probably leave a town such as Montrose, which overlooks a tidal lagoon and has a population of 12,000, completely devastated.
What about the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs? (Score:4, Insightful)
I mean, if we're going to randomly pick catastrophes from the past and assess the damage now just for a snazzy headline, that'd be a lot bigger impact.
Ooo! Ooo! I have one! How about if the same changes happened to Earth now that happened during the Permian-Triassic extinction? The largest extinction event in history! Can we get a human loss estimate on what the cost would be, both in lives and dollars, if that were to happen starting today? I'll bet that could yield some stupendous clickbait headlines!
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When Yellowstone goes off, it's going to devastate a lot more area than just from there to Denver. Granted, you're speaking of immediacy, but the ensuing days, weeks, months, possibly years after will be globally . . . let's say interesting for anybody that survives the initial blast. I live far enough away that I may not see the initial plume, but I will definitely see the effects within the first few days, if not sooner.
Thing is, it doesn't matter where on Earth you live, there's always a risk of insta-
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If the answer to the latter is yes, then studying the effects makes sense.
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Re: What about the asteroid that killed the dinosa (Score:2)
Q2. Estimate the return period for a Scottish tsunami event consideration (one has occurred in last 8000 years).
Q3. Compare and contrast the answers from Q1 and Q4, and discuss what that tells us about the likeliness of a similar even occurring during a human lifetime, and how it relates to the magnitude of the event.
Assume the events have a Poisson random distribution.
Hint: based on this limited data
Re: What about the asteroid that killed the dinos (Score:2)
The good news (Score:4, Informative)
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I recently tried Port Askaig 110 Proof for the first time. I've always been a Lafroaig guy, but Port Askaig has usurped its peaty throne - it's an awesome Islay.
Ancient asteroid could have wiped out the modern c (Score:2)
News at fore on-when 11.
Yeah, but Thatcher too. (Score:2)
The scotch glass is half full!
wot (Score:1)
ancient tsunami could have wiped out cities today? fucking verb tenses, how do they work
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How? (Score:2)
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Another major ice age? Global warming stopped in its tracks! HALLELUJAH!
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50 years ago they defined climate change as heading into a new ice age.
Now they are defining it the other way.
What are they going to be saying in another 50 years?
I'm not denying we don't have an effect on the climate, I just don't think it's as much as it's made out to be.
The Earth has been around billions of years and survived and corrected for volcanic eruptions that threw way more garbage into the atmosphere than we have.
I think we should stop all the air
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Headline has me saying "WTF?" (Score:4, Funny)
We should maybe be more worried about tsunamis which haven't happened yet.
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This is exactly why we must ban all science (Score:3)
Towns and cities across Scotland would be devastated if the country's coastline was hit by a tsunami of the kind that happened 8,200 years ago
The problem with science, is that eventually it will advance to the point where objects, and then cities will inevitably be able to be sent back in time.
Either through accident, sheer frustration with being able to understand a thick Scottish accent, or Sean Connery having slept with the wrong scientists mother/sister/daughter (either alone or in combination), it is thus inevitable that Scottish cities will in fact be sent back in time 8,200 years.
The only protection Scotland has from this inevitable disaster then, is that we must immediately ban all further scientific developments worldwide.
Why is this news now? (Score:1)
This was looked into in 2004 at the time of development of the Ormen Lange natural gas field. The chance of a similar slide being trigered by the drilling was reckoned at less than 1%, so the economic gain from extracting the gas exceeded the calculated downside risk of losing coastal Scotland (where very few people owned shares in the gas company anyway.)
If it's not Scottish... (Score:1)
IT"S CR@P!!!
Risk (Score:2)
I don't think I'll lose any sleep over this (I live on the coast near Dundee). Of all the potential problems we have to worry about, having our homes devastated by a tsunami are so low on the list they are barely worth mentioning.
Confirms the wisdom of Nicola Sturgeon (Score:2)
Confirms the wisdom of Nicola Sturgeon in taking Scotland to zero carbon, to tackle global warming. Many have wondered why global warming should have such a high priority with the SNP.
Some have even argued that it was cynical placation of their Green coalition partners.
Some have said that health and education were more important uses for limited funds
Some have said that even if Scotland does go carbon zero, it will have no measurable effect on CO2 levels globally, and will cost a bomb, on top of the hit fr