On May 18th, 1980, the United States experienced the worst volcanic eruption in its modern history when the famous Mount St. Helens, located in Washington State, collapsed in a blast of epic proportions. With the force of a hydrogen bomb, the mountain spewed ash for hundreds of miles and caused destruction beyond human comprehension. But the story of Mount St. Helens' most infamous eruption goes back further than a single ash cloud. The response to the disaster, both before, during, and after, serves as a prime example of how humans respond to a crisis, for better or for worse. No one could have stopped Mount St. Helens from erupting, but could the response to it have saved lives?

Nyck von Boosten is an author and narrative designer from Maryland who specializes in writing about the macabre and the dark underbelly of life. He also loves to write about machines, especially ones that go fast.