We’re not going to get tired of throwing things in lava. It’s almost certainly happened since time immemorial, and while there’s no practical way to turn lava lakes or flows into insane trash incinerators, it’s certainly entertaining to watch people try.
The latest victim of a new Hawaiian lava flow appears to be a GoPro camera, whose indestructibility is frequently cited as a key selling point by the company. According to PetaPixel, one such camera appears to have survived 1,000°C (1,832°F) lava – a feat that few everyday objects achieve.
Erik Storm, the Kilauea EcoGuides’ lead guide, recently dropped his GoPro into a small crevasse to capture footage of the raging inferno. Lava then erupted from the crack and engulfed his camera, which was still in its protective casing at the time.
As he watched the viscous lava devour his technological marvel, he assumed it was long gone – but it wasn’t. Because of the thickness of the flow, the camera was not completely consumed and was eventually partially expelled at the surface.
Storm discovered the SD card within the camera had survived the ordeal after smashing through the cooled rock and recovering his miniature beloved. You can see the footage here.
Although the camera appears to be less functional than it once was, the fact that it was not completely destroyed is truly remarkable. The plastic covering on the camera was probably tough enough to withstand the lava’s heat for the short time it was scorched. Storm was fortunate in this regard, but we wouldn’t recommend repeating the feat unless you have some spectacularly good insurance.
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