Welcome to Volcano Twitter, Where the Burns Can Be Hot
Some parody accounts started out with jokes but now help scientists to communicate geohazard risks and fight disinformation
If you tweet about certain volcanoes in the Pacific Northwest, don’t be surprised if the volcano responds. That’s especially true if you’ve taken the time to recognize Glacier Peak, a 10,541-foot mountain in Washington state that will likely again blow its top in a big way someday.
Glacier Peak can be hard to spot nestled among other nearby peaks in the Cascade Range. Unlike its taller, more prominent, and better known volcanic neighbor to the south, 14,411-foot Mount Rainier, Glacier Peak doesn’t get as much attention. It’s mostly out of view from the populated lowlands, including Seattle, which is about 65 miles away. But the geologic record shows that of Washington state’s five active volcanoes, Glacier Peak has had some of the most explosive eruptions, with five major events in the past 3,000 years.
This is partially why on social media, @GlacierPeak can be a bit image-conscious, regularly reminding the social media world of its destructive potential.
“I’m a badass,” the mountain tweeted in October. “I’m sort of friendly here on Twitter, though.” When someone described…
