Prompt Cast
The Fragile and Dangerous Nature of Geysers
TLDR Geysers are rare and delicate natural phenomena that require high pressure, a plumbing system, and an obstruction to form. They release water and steam in eruptions that can vary in height, duration, and frequency. However, human activities such as geothermal energy production and mineral extraction are threatening the existence of geysers.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
Geysers can be dangerous and have the potential to kill people, as demonstrated by an incident in 1903 in New Zealand where four tourists were killed by a geyser in the Waimangu Valley.
03:41
Geysers are fragile and there are only about a thousand of them in the world, with Yellowstone having a significant number, and they are formed by a water supply, a plumbing system, a heat source, and remoteness.
07:36
Geysers require high pressure, a plumbing system with sealed pipes, and an obstruction to differentiate them from hot springs.
11:00
Geysers release water and steam when the pressure builds up and the water overcomes the pressure threshold, resulting in an eruption that can vary in height, duration, and frequency.
14:30
The remoteness of geysers is now believed to be a requirement for them to exist, as human activities such as geothermal energy production and mineral extraction are impacting and even killing geysers.
18:13
Geysers have natural steam vents located near them, and while some geysers shoot out of a cone, others erupt from a pool of water in a more chaotic fashion.
21:56
Geysers are always called geysers even if they quit erupting, but once they have erupted, they are always called a geyser.
25:26
Unions provide a counterpoint to rampant corporate greed and protect workers from intimidation and deception by employers.
Categories:
Society & Culture
