10 Things That Would Happen if Every Volcano on Earth Erupted at Once

This wild, crazy planet of ours is home to more than 1,500 known active volcanoes and an unknown number hidden beneath our oceans. Each day, between 15 and 20 of them erupt, but thankfully the effects are minimal.

Although the chances of it happening are slim to none, what would it be like if every volcano on earth erupted at the same time? Here are 10 things you could expect to occur should the unthinkable happen:

Many would go deaf and blind from the explosions

When a volcano erupts, oftentimes the explosion is so great that it sends out a wave of air pressure known as a shockwave. Volcanic shockwaves have been known to be felt around the globe can melt ice, flatten entire forests and trigger devastating mudslides as we saw with the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helen.

If they can destroy a forest, you can imagine that they could easily shatter glass. Much like how many residents of Halifax, Nova Scotia were left blind after the 1917 Halifax Explosion shattered every pane of glass in the city, a series of worldwide volcanic explosions would likely leave many people in the vicinity with permanent vision damage or loss.

Following the shockwave would of course be the devastating noise that even a single eruption can emit. In 1883, the volcano on the Indonesian island of Krakatoa erupted and the sound was reportedly heard nearly 30,000 miles away. Those within a hundred-mile radius of the volcano reportedly experience extensive ear pain and in some cases permanent hearing loss from the blast.

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