Kīlauea is erupting once more at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, however earlier than you go to, don’t neglect about all that harmful “hair” blowing round and accumulating on the bottom. These strands, known as Pele’s hair, aren’t truly hair; they’re skinny strands of volcanic glass shaped throughout a volcanic eruption. And so they can damage you, when you’re not cautious.
“At varied factors across the summit of Kīlauea and the Kaʻū Desert, what look like golden mats of hair lay gathered on the bottom,” the National Park Service (NPS) says on its website. “These fibers usually are not human or animal hair, however somewhat a fragile byproduct of a number of the Earth’s strongest forces. They’re skinny glass fibers often called Pele’s hair, named after the volcanic deity Pele.”
When bubbles of fuel close to the floor of a lava stream burst, it could actually stretch the pores and skin of the molten lava into lengthy threads, NPS explains. Pele’s hair might be as much as 2 toes lengthy, despite the fact that it’s just one micron (.001 mm) thick. NPS says these lengthy, skinny, and sharp items of glass can change into lodged in people’ pores and skin or, worse, their eyes.
National Park News just lately shared a public service announcement about this hazard on Instagram. The most recent eruption has attracted guests and led to a rise in Pele’s hair within the space.
“In the event you’re visiting, keep secure and defend your self from Pele’s hair by not touching it, maintaining it out of your eyes, and by sporting a long-sleeved shirt, lengthy pants and closed-toe sneakers,” Nationwide Park Information advises in its publish.
See the total warning about Pele’s hair right here:
See footage of Kīlauea erupting right here: