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Discussion » Questions » Environment » Can you avert an avalanche by blowing up a mountain or does that exacerbate the problem? How do you stop/divert/repurpose Mother Nature?

Can you avert an avalanche by blowing up a mountain or does that exacerbate the problem? How do you stop/divert/repurpose Mother Nature?

Posted - January 15, 2017

Responses


  • I know in mountainous regions, ski areas, they will purposely set of charges to cause an avalanche, to lessen the chance of a "natural" avalanche that might catch people/skiers by surprise. Of course they aren't blowing up the mountain though!
      January 15, 2017 7:54 AM MST
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  • 113301
    So to head off possible catastrophic avalanches that would hit unexpectedly they create small ones. That makes sense. Thank you for your reply Angela! :)
      January 15, 2017 8:29 AM MST
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  • You're welcome! :)
      January 15, 2017 1:49 PM MST
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  • 22891
    it might make the problem worse
      January 15, 2017 3:54 PM MST
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  • 3680
    An "avalanche" is a snow slide, hence Angela's comment that no-one is blowing up mountains - and I would jolly well hope they don't try. Avalanches are only dangerous to those humans who put themselves in the danger area, willingly or inadvertently; whether that be above a ski resort or in Mt. Everest's Western Cwm.

    To answer the more general point... you cannot "stop / divert / re-purpose Mother Nature." The most we can do is protect ourselves from individual natural hazards.

    I can't even imagine how one might "re-purpose Nature". I know "re-purpose" is a recently-coined "buzz-word" of the sort politicians love to use as it has little real meaning, but when applied to natural processes and events, it has no meaning at all.  
      March 16, 2017 8:49 PM MDT
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