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New Island Swallows Neighboring Island

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niijimo-eats-island

In an amazing display of the wonders of natural science, an island that had formed as a result of volcanic activity towards the end of 2013 swallowed a neighboring island a few days ago. Both islands are off the coast of Japan, and are considered part of Japan. The new island, Niijima, is about 600 miles south of Tokyo. The island that was eaten, Nishino-shima, was actually formed in the 1970s from volcanic activity. The island was thankfully uninhabited at the time of the merge. The newly enlarged island is now about ½ mile across and has risen to 196 feet above sea level, which is about triple the height of the island in December.

Expectations for Volcanic Activity

When Niijima was spotted in November of 2013, scientists speculated that the sea would reclaim the island, as happens to the majority of islands formed as a result of volcanic activity. The expectations have obviously changed now that the island has not only stayed above sea level, but continued to grow. Scientists now speculate that the island will stay above water for several years, if not permanently.

The volcano which formed the island is part of the Pacific “Rim of Fire”, which has long been known as one of the most active places in the world for volcanic activity. The volcanic activity seems to be ongoing, and the nature of the islands may continue to change in the days and years to come.


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