What If You Fell Into Lake Nyos?

Summary

Lake Nyos in Cameroon, Africa, is a perilous crater lake with depths of 210 meters. Its tranquility masks a deadly secret: the accumulation of carbon dioxide from volcanic activity, which can lead to limnic eruptions. A sudden disturbance, like a swimmer's dive, could trigger a catastrophic release of gas, creating a 90-meter water jet and a deadly cloud of CO2 that spreads rapidly, suffocating all in its path. The 1986 eruption tragically claimed 1,746 lives and 3,500 livestock. Since then, measures like a venting pipe have been installed, but the lake remains a stark reminder of nature's hidden dangers.

Takeaways

• 🌍 Lake Nyos is located in Cameroon, Africa, and is considered one of the most dangerous lakes on Earth.
• 🌋 The lake sits over a volcanic crater and can accumulate deadly levels of carbon dioxide due to volcanic activity.
• 💨 Under normal circumstances, carbon dioxide dissipates slowly, but if the lake remains still, the gas dissolves and accumulates in the water.
• 💥 A sudden disturbance, like a swimmer's dive, could trigger a limnic eruption, releasing a large amount of carbon dioxide.
• 🚀 Such an eruption could cause a water jet up to 90 meters high, potentially propelling a person into the air.
• 🌀 The released gas cloud could spread over 1 km wide and reach up to 25 km away, traveling at speeds of 48 km/h.
• 🐘 In 1986, a limnic eruption at Lake Nyos resulted in the death of 1,746 villagers and 3,500 livestock due to asphyxiation.
• 🔥 Carbon dioxide is heavier than air and can displace oxygen, extinguishing fires and preventing breathing.
• 🛠 Since the 1986 disaster, safety measures have been implemented, including a pipe at the lake's bottom to vent the gas.
• ⚠️ Despite these measures, Lake Nyos remains dangerous with high levels of carbon dioxide, and swimming in it is not recommended.

Q & A

What makes Lake Nyos one of the most dangerous lakes on Earth?

Lake Nyos is dangerous because it can accumulate deadly levels of carbon dioxide due to volcanic activity beneath it, which can lead to limnic eruptions if the lake is disturbed.

Where is Lake Nyos located?

Lake Nyos is located in the North-West Region of Cameroon, Africa, over a volcanic crater.

What is the depth of Lake Nyos?

Lake Nyos has depths of about 210 meters (689 feet).

What is a limnic eruption?

A limnic eruption is a sudden release of dissolved gases, typically carbon dioxide, from a body of water, which can be triggered by disturbances such as earthquakes or, in the case of the script, a person jumping into the water.

What would happen if a person jumped into Lake Nyos?

If a person jumped into Lake Nyos, it could trigger a limnic eruption, causing a 90-meter high water jet, releasing a cloud of carbon dioxide that could suffocate nearby life.

How far can the carbon dioxide cloud from Lake Nyos spread?

The carbon dioxide cloud from Lake Nyos can spread as far as 25 kilometers (16 miles) away from the lake.

What was the tragic event that occurred in 1986 at Lake Nyos?

In 1986, a limnic eruption at Lake Nyos killed 1,746 villagers and 3,500 livestock due to the release of a large amount of carbon dioxide.

What safety measures have been implemented at Lake Nyos since the 1986 disaster?

Since the 1986 disaster, a pipe has been installed at the bottom of Lake Nyos to allow the carbon dioxide to escape safely and prevent future limnic eruptions.

Why does carbon dioxide gas extinguish fires?

Carbon dioxide gas extinguishes fires because it is heavier than air and at high concentrations, it displaces oxygen, which is necessary for combustion.

How does the carbon dioxide in Lake Nyos affect the surrounding environment?

The carbon dioxide in Lake Nyos, if released, can form a deadly cloud that travels quickly and silently, choking most living creatures in its path and extinguishing fires by displacing oxygen.

What is Lake Natron, mentioned at the end of the script?

Lake Natron is another dangerous lake, hinted at in the script, known for its high alkalinity that can turn animals that come into contact with its waters into statues.

Outlines

00:00

💀 Lake Nyos: The Deadly Lake

Lake Nyos, located in Cameroon, Africa, is a crater lake with depths of about 210 meters. It's known for its potential to release deadly levels of carbon dioxide due to volcanic activity beneath it. The lake can accumulate this gas, turning it into a time bomb. If disturbed, it could trigger a limnic eruption, releasing a cloud of carbon dioxide up to 1 km wide and 25 km in reach, moving at speeds of 48 km/h. This gas cloud can displace oxygen, causing asphyxiation. A tragic limnic eruption occurred in 1986, killing 1,746 villagers and 3,500 livestock. Since then, safety measures like a venting pipe have been implemented to reduce the risk, but the lake remains dangerous.

Keywords

💡Lake Nyos

Lake Nyos is a small lake in Cameroon, Africa, situated over a volcanic crater. It is known for its dangerous levels of dissolved carbon dioxide, which can lead to limnic eruptions if the lake's waters are disturbed. The lake is a central theme of the video, illustrating the potential for natural disasters when geological and chemical processes combine.

💡Carbon Dioxide

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a colorless, odorless gas that is naturally produced by volcanic activity and can dissolve in water. In the context of the video, Lake Nyos accumulates CO2 due to volcanic activity beneath it, which can lead to a limnic eruption if the gas is suddenly released.

💡Limnic Eruption

A limnic eruption is a rare, natural disaster where a large amount of dissolved gas, such as carbon dioxide, is suddenly released from a body of water. The video uses the term to describe the potential catastrophe that could occur if Lake Nyos' waters are disturbed, causing a deadly cloud of CO2 to spread over the surrounding area.

💡Dissolved Gas

Dissolved gas refers to a gas that is mixed into a liquid, in this case, carbon dioxide in the water of Lake Nyos. The video explains how the gas dissolves into the lake and accumulates, creating a hazardous condition that could lead to a limnic eruption.

💡Accumulation

In the video, accumulation refers to the buildup of carbon dioxide in the depths of Lake Nyos. The process is natural but can become dangerous if the gas is not released gradually, as it can lead to a limnic eruption.

💡Volcanic Activity

Volcanic activity is the process by which magma, ash, and gases are expelled from a volcano. The video explains that the volcanic activity beneath Lake Nyos is responsible for the release of carbon dioxide, which can accumulate in the lake and pose a risk.

💡Ticking Time Bomb

The term 'ticking time bomb' is used metaphorically in the video to describe Lake Nyos when it has accumulated high levels of carbon dioxide. It implies that the lake is in a precarious state, ready to explode with deadly consequences if disturbed.

💡Diet Coke and Mentos Eruption

This is a popular science demonstration where the reaction between Diet Coke and Mentos candy creates a large eruption of foam. The video uses this as an analogy to describe the sudden release of carbon dioxide from Lake Nyos during a limnic eruption, emphasizing the explosive nature of the event.

💡Displacement of Oxygen

Displacement of oxygen occurs when a heavier gas, like carbon dioxide, replaces oxygen in the air. The video explains that a limnic eruption at Lake Nyos could release so much CO2 that it displaces oxygen over a wide area, leading to asphyxiation of living creatures.

💡Safety Measures

Safety measures refer to actions taken to prevent or mitigate potential hazards. The video mentions that since the 1986 disaster, a pipe has been installed at the bottom of Lake Nyos to allow the gradual release of carbon dioxide, reducing the risk of another limnic eruption.

💡Landslide/Earthquake

A landslide or earthquake can cause sudden disturbances in a body of water. The video recounts the 1986 Lake Nyos disaster, which was triggered by such an event, leading to the release of carbon dioxide and the death of over 1,700 people and 3,500 livestock.

Highlights

Lake Nyos is one of the most dangerous lakes on the planet due to its potential to release deadly levels of carbon dioxide.

Located in the North-West Region of Cameroon, Africa, Lake Nyos sits over a volcanic crater.

The lake has depths of about 210 meters and is prone to accumulating carbon dioxide from volcanic activity.

Under normal conditions, carbon dioxide dissipates slowly as the lake shifts naturally.

If undisturbed, carbon dioxide dissolves into the water, turning the lake into a potential time bomb.

Agitating Lake Nyos could trigger a limnic eruption, releasing a deadly cloud of carbon dioxide.

A limnic eruption could cause a 90-meter water jet and send people flying into the air.

The released carbon dioxide cloud could be over 1 km wide and spread up to 25 km away.

The gas cloud travels at speeds of up to 48 km/h, silently choking creatures in its path.

Carbon dioxide is heavier than air and at high concentrations, it displaces oxygen, leading to asphyxiation.

A limnic eruption at Lake Nyos in 1986 resulted in the death of 1,746 villagers and 3,500 livestock.

The disaster occurred when the concentration of carbon dioxide in the lake was at its peak.

Since 1986, safety measures such as a pipe at the lake's bottom have been implemented to vent the gas.

Despite some gas being vented, Lake Nyos still contains a dangerous amount of carbon dioxide.

Lake Natron, another dangerous lake, is mentioned as a potential alternative for a risky swim.

Lake Natron is known for its ability to turn objects into stone due to its high mineral content.

Transcripts

Feel like upping the stakes

of your late-night skinny dips?

Well, welcome to Lake Nyos,

one of the most dangerous lakes

on the planet.

Here, your cannonball

might just take thousands of lives.

In the North-West Region

of Cameroon, Africa,

over a volcanic crater, lies Lake Nyos.

A small lake with depths

of about 210 m (689 ft).

Crater lakes like Nyos

tend to release carbon dioxide

due to volcanic activity deep below.

Usually, this carbon dioxide

dissipates slowly as the lake naturally shifts.

But if the lake stays still enough

the gas dissolves into the water

and continues accumulating there,

steadily turning it into a ticking time bomb.

So what would happen if that water were suddenly disturbed?

Nyos is one of only three lakes known to accumulate

deadly levels of carbon dioxide.

Agitating this kind of lake

could cause something called a limnic eruption.

But hold on, let's not get too far ahead of ourselves.

You'd have a front-row seat to this catastrophe.

And without even knowing it,

you'd be the trigger of a major disaster.

As your body sank into the deadly waters of Lake Nyos,

the dissolved carbon dioxide would rise to the surface.

The lake would start to bubble.

And these bubbles would cause even more turbulence.

Now, have you seen the famous Diet Coke and Mentos eruption?

Yeah, that would be you.

A 90 m (295 ft) water jet would explode into the sky,

sending you flying as high as Big Ben in London.

We'll say you're lucky enough to survive the drop,

but you'd still have

all the carbon dioxide to deal with.

In 20 seconds, all of the accumulated gas would be unleashed

in a cloud over 1 km (0.6 mi) wide.

It would spread as far as 25 km (16 mi) away from the lake.

And it would travel at a speed of up to 48 km/h (30 mph),

silently choking most of the living creatures in its path.

If you were in a village nearby, instead of soaking in Lake Nyos,

you'd hear a strange rumbling sound,

followed by the sight of a white mist rising from the lake.

The deadly gas cloud would then usher in a gust of wind,

putting out any fire that might be around you.

This is because carbon dioxide gas

is heavier than air

and at high concentrations

it displaces oxygen.

No oxygen means no combustion and no fire.

But it also means you wouldn't be able to breathe.

You would drop dead after a single gasp of air.

This is exactly what happened in 1986,

when a landslide or an earthquake triggered a limnic eruption on Lake Nyos.

In total, 1,746 villagers

and 3,500 livestock died instantly.

No one was there to witness

how its usually serene blue waters

turned red from all the iron churned up from the bottom.

Still up for a swim at the most dangerous lake on Earth?

Well, the Lake Nyos disaster happened

when the concentration of carbon dioxide in the lake

was at its highest.

And since 1986,

some safety measures have been taken to avoid this happening again.

Like a pipe at the bottom of the lake

that now allows the gas to escape safely.

Still, I wouldn't recommend risking your life for this experiment.

Even with some of the gas being vented,

Nyos has just way too much carbon dioxide.

Maybe you could push your luck

by going for a dip

at another dangerous lake,

Lake Natron.

Hint, it could turn you to stone.

But that's a story for another WHAT IF.