Birth Pangs

On January 15, 2022, a once-in-a-thousand-year volcanic explosion took place under the sea near the multi-island nation of Tonga. It shot a column of steam approximately 12 miles into the atmosphere, which in turn rained ash and rocks on the islands and triggered a massive 50-ft tsunami. Information about the explosion’s aftermath has been hard to gather because Tonga’s underwater fiberoptic cable was severely damaged during the disaster.

Across the Pacific Ocean in California, the combination of severe and sustained drought along with misguided forestry policies has fueled wildfires to apocalyptic proportions and extended fire season over many months of each year. Beyond California, scientists say much of the western United States is enveloped in an unprecedented megadrought. 

Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea continue to threaten the fragile fabric of international peace as they ramp up their war machines and rhetoric. 

Meanwhile, scientists now believe that we’ll