That is one tough camera. Most other cameras might have been engulfed and fried layer by layer until they were nothing more than melted metal and plastic. The GoPro however was completely buried and while probably wouldn’t ever function again still managed to hold its data safely inside of it. Erik Storm, a guide in Hawaii that is interested in lava flows and other natural occurrences, left his camera inside a crack to film lava flows. He then got lost in story he was talking about and before he knew his camera was engulfed. He had to chip the thing out of the molten rock in order to retrieve it and then noticed that Wi-Fi light was still blinking. Pulling it open he took out the SD card and quickly noted that the footage was still intact. This proves that while it’s just as susceptible to exterior damage as anything, the GoPro is extremely tough.
Playing with lava, even as a researcher, seems like a very bad idea. Having seen too many clips of people that seem to love playing with the stuff despite the fact that it’s extremely dangerous makes me wonder just how many folks genuinely don’t fear the threat it represents. Left alone and on its own lava is just another natural part of the world, but people messing with it seem a little touched in the head if you’ll excuse me. Lava can superheat steel, it can strip skin off of bone, and it can do enough damage that respecting it and not playing with it like a little kid seems like a much better idea.
Erik Storm no doubt knows its capabilities but unfortunately got so caught up in something else that he didn’t realize how quickly the lava was moving nor that it was about to cover his camera. The fact that he was able to retrieve was lucky for him, but the idea that it was still holding onto its footage is amazing. Most cameras would be little more than crispy lump of plastic, but the GoPro was obviously built a little tougher. Plus, I don’t get the feeling that Storm is the type to just let his tools be burned up without getting a little upset about it. At least he got his footage.
Watching other clips of how people react to and play around hot lava though makes me cock my head in amazement and wonder just why people think it’s a good idea. This is after all the very definition of playing with fire. Those that study it and try to find out what they can about it are still a little nuts I think but at the very least their heads are in the right place. Those just looking for the thrill of being around something dangerous need to have their heads checked.
Really, honestly, and truly, there are things in this world that we might not fully understand that look tempting to mess around with, but those are the same things that we should probably leave alone at times. Messing around with hot lava is a good way to get seriously burned and unless a person is trained on how to handle themselves and not fool around with it then they should probably stay away.
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