The Krasheninnikov volcano in far eastern Russia last erupted in 1550. William Shakespeare wasn't even born yet. But it blew its top Sunday. The blast shot clouds of ash almost four miles into the sky. Experts say a big earthquake that struck 150 miles away five days earlier likely caused the event. The volcano lies within the Kronotsky Nature Reserve. The area is home to eight volcanoes. So far, no deaths or injuries from the eruption have been reported. Very few people live in the region. The string of volcanoes in the nature preserve belong to the "Ring of Fire." That's the region that forms a ring almost all the way around the Pacific Ocean. It is prone to earthquakes and volcano eruptions. The Smithsonian Institution says Krasheninnikov last erupted 475 years ago. Other estimates set that date a hundred years before that. Krasheninnikov had been listed as dormant. It's a term used for volcanoes that aren't active, but could erupt. In some cases, they haven't been active for thousands of years. Unlike those listed as extinct, though, dormant volcanoes still rest atop magma sources. Experts estimate that there are as many as 1,500 dormant volcanoes around the world. Hawaii’s Mauna Kea is among them. It was last active 4,500 years ago. Mount Hassan in Turkey has been dormant since 6200 BCE. And Romania’s Ciomadul hasn’t been active in 30,000 years. Even so, it is still considered dormant. Some experts warn that melting glaciers due to climate change could increase the threats posed by dormant volcanoes. Brad Singer told Inside Climate News that "When you take the load off, it's just like opening a Coca-Cola bottle or a champagne bottle.” He's a University of Wisconsin-Madison geologist. Reflect: How do unexpected changes in nature make you think differently about the world? Photo of Russian volcano in Kamchatka erupting from Reuters.
