Krakatau

What is the loudest noise on human record?

None other than the explosion of the volcano Krakatau (or Krakatoa, as I knew it in my youth) in 1883. The explosions were heard on Rodriguez Island, 4,653 km west, and in Australia, 3,450 km east.

As a child I was fascinated by Krakatoa. I recall reading over and over "The Twenty-One Balloons", by William Pene Du Bois, about a Professor who lands on the island and experiences the eruption.

What I learned today is that 50 years after the explosion, a new island emerged from the sea, called "Anak Krakatau", or child of Krakatau. Apparently it is growing 20 feet per year. Here is an article on the interesting development of this island. Wired also has an interesting summary of Krakatau, since today is the 225th anniversary of the 1883 eruption.