Iceland drills 4.7 km down into volcano to tap clean energy
It's named after a Nordic god and drills deep into the heart of a volcano: "Thor" is a rig that symbolises Iceland's leading-edge efforts to produce powerful clean energy.
It's named after a Nordic god and drills deep into the heart of a volcano: "Thor" is a rig that symbolises Iceland's leading-edge efforts to produce powerful clean energy.
Energy & Green Tech
May 5, 2017
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2065
The recent Fagradalsfjall eruption in the southwest of Iceland has enthralled the whole world, including nature lovers and scientists alike. The eruption was especially important as it provided geologists with a unique opportunity ...
Earth Sciences
Jun 29, 2022
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A group of 25 ordinary citizens on Friday presented to Iceland's parliamentary speaker a new constitution draft, which they compiled with the help of hundreds of others who chipped in online.
Internet
Jul 29, 2011
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Iceland is a small country tucked away on the edge of Europe. It has a population of only about 340,000 people. Iceland's prisons are small too. There are only five, altogether housing fewer than 200 prisoners. Of these five, ...
Social Sciences
Nov 6, 2018
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An Icelandic volcano neighbouring Eyjafjoell, whose eruptions paralysed Europe's skies last month, could come to life in the near future, according to experts.
Earth Sciences
May 26, 2010
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Icelandic whaling company Hvalur said Tuesday it would resume its controversial hunt of endangered fin whales after a two-year suspension, sparking angry protests from animal rights activists.
Ecology
Apr 17, 2018
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Shrinking glacier cover could lead to increased volcanic activity in Iceland, warn scientists.
Earth Sciences
Nov 23, 2017
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Vikings are known for raiding and trading, but those who settled in Iceland centuries ago spent more time producing and consuming booze and beef—in part to gain political clout in a place very different from their Scandinavian ...
Archaeology
Dec 4, 2014
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0
At the boundaries between tectonic plates, narrow rifts can form as Earth's crust slowly pulls apart.
Earth Sciences
Feb 7, 2022
1
327
(Phys.org) —A team of researchers with members from Iceland, Sweden and Saudi Arabia has found evidence of chemical changes to underground well water prior to two different earthquakes that occurred in 2012 and 2013 in ...
ab. ^ The native description to the form of government of the country is "Lýðveldið Ísland". b. ^ "Statistics Iceland:Key figures". Statistics Iceland. 1 October 2002. http://www.statice.is/?PageID=1390. Retrieved 2011-07-02.
Iceland i/ˈaɪslənd/ (Icelandic: Ísland, IPA: [ˈislant]; see Names for Iceland), described as the Republic of Iceland, is a European island country in the north Atlantic Ocean on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. It has a population of about 320,000 and a total area of 103,000 km2 (39,769 sq mi). The capital and the largest city is Reykjavík, with the surrounding areas in the southwestern region of the country being home to two-thirds of the country's population. Iceland is volcanically and geologically active. The interior mainly consists of a plateau characterised by sand fields, mountains and glaciers, while many glacial rivers flow to the sea through the lowlands. Iceland is warmed by the Gulf Stream and has a temperate climate despite a high latitude just outside the Arctic Circle.
According to Landnámabók, the settlement of Iceland began in AD 874 when the chieftain Ingólfur Arnarson became the first permanent Norse settler on the island. Others had visited the island earlier and stayed over winter. Over the following centuries, Norsemen settled Iceland, bringing with them slaves of Gaelic origin. From 1262 to 1918 Iceland was part of the Norwegian and later the Danish monarchies. Until the 20th century, the Icelandic population relied largely on fisheries and agriculture. Industrialisation of the fisheries and Marshall Aid brought prosperity in the years after World War II. In 1994, Iceland became party to the European Economic Area, which made it possible for the economy to diversify into economic and financial services.
Iceland has a free market economy with relatively low taxes compared to other OECD countries, while maintaining a Nordic welfare system providing universal health care and tertiary education for its citizens. In recent years, Iceland has been one of the wealthiest and most developed nations in the world. In 2010, it was ranked as the 17th most developed country in the world by the United Nations' Human Development Index, and the fourth most productive country per capita. In 2008, political unrest occurred as the nation's entire banking system systemically failed.
Icelandic culture is founded upon the nation's Norse heritage. Most Icelanders are descendants of Norse (particularly from Western Norway) and Gaelic settlers. Icelandic, a North Germanic language, is closely related to Faroese and some West Norwegian dialects. The country's cultural heritage includes traditional Icelandic cuisine, poetry, and the medieval Icelanders' sagas. Currently, Iceland has the smallest population among NATO members and is the only one with no standing army.
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