For more than two weeks, residents of Hawaii’s Big Island and people across the world have watched (maybe a little too closely) as the Kilauea volcano spews lava into residential neighborhoods, swallowing up everything in its path. And although the lava has displaced thousands of locals and claimed its first injury, it’s almost impossible to look away from the captivating footage of the phenomenon. As horrifying as the danger and damage have been, it’s also a mesmerizing seismic event—one that, until recently, has been difficult to see close up.
Seeing as scientists have no clue when the flow might stop, CNN has stepped in to cover the continuing rush of lava in real time with a bizarre and hypnotizing livestream, which I am now officially christening the Lava Cam. The livestream has already racked up nearly 7,000 viewers, so why not join in, blow the video up to full screen, and immerse yourself in the transfixing visual experience from the safety of your desk. You can even pop in a pair of headphones, and listen to the sibilant murmur of lava raining down on itself, the drone of crickets in the background, punctuated by an occasional hoo-tweet of a nearby bird or a rooster’s crow.
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There’s no telling how long CNN’s stream will be up, but seeing as the volcano has been wreaking havoc on the island for most of May now, it could continue for days. Until it stops, you can watch the wrath of Mother Nature unfold on your laptop, a much safer spot than the proximity some so-called “lava chasers” have gone to catch a glimpse of the phenomenon.
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