This Land Was Left for Dead, Until Scientists Dropped These Underground Creatures on It, Now It’s Covered with 40,000 Plants

This Land Was Left for Dead, Until Scientists Dropped These Underground Creatures on It, Now It’s Covered with 40,000 Plants

A short-lived experiment in the wake of the Mount St. Helens eruption has produced effects still visible 43 years later. By placing tiny creatures on barren volcanic ground, scientists unintentionally triggered a long-lasting recovery driven by underground life. In May 1980, this eruption caused widespread destruction, leaving large areas covered in sterile pumice. Plant life struggled to return, and early signs of recovery were minimal, with on…