The April 20, 2010 explosion of the Deepwater Horizonis undoubtedly an immense tragedy. Even months afterwards, crudeoil continues to spill into the sea; the full extent of theenormous economic and ecological damages will likely not beunderstood for many more months or even years to come. While weshould in no way minimize the significance of this terrible event,history shows that nature has brought about catastrophes that areeven more terrible and destructive -- and on an exponentiallygreater scale. What follows is the true story of one 19th-centuryinsurance professional that lived in the hottest spot of thevolcanic region commonly called the Pacific Ring of Fire.

The respectable Mr. Schuit had the uncommon fortune of being aLloyd's of London agent in the Sunda Strait in 1883, situated amongthe 25,000 islands in the vast archipelago commonly known as theEast Indies. He loved to watch the shipping lanes from his spaciouswooden deck as steam-powered vessels and sailboats glided past. Thewarm tropical breezes and ample compensation made it seem like thecomplete package.

As historian Simon Winchester remarks, in those days the job ofa Lloyd's agent "was in good times one of great simplicity, in badtimes one of formidable complexity." Schuit's only careerirritations until August of 1883 were caused by the trend thatplaced the full burden of claim adjusting on agents. Schuitundoubtedly expected that he would sometimes have to come down fromhis deck and handle a contentious claim; it was part of his jobdescription. Schuit, however, was not prepared for both his beloveddeck and his entire town to be annihilated in an event sofrightening that some feared it to be the end of the world.

The explosion of Krakatoa on August 27, 1883 was arguably theworst natural disaster in recorded history. The sound of themountain's final moment echoed as far as 3,000 miles away. Sixcubic miles of rock and debris soared into the sky, making day asdark as night. Tsunamis as tall as 150 feet hurled ships inland,flung up huge boulders, and killed tens of thousands of people.Innumerable animals and vast tracks of tropical forest were utterlydestroyed.

More than 160 villages and towns were wiped clean from thelandscape. Ash coated the ground and ships like a deep snow. Thicklayers of floating volcanic rock covered the surface of the waterfor miles around. Volcanic chemicals and debris poisoned the watersand decimated the aquatic wildlife. Sailors began describing thepassage through Schuit's once-tranquil Sunda Strait in the mosthorrific terms, being marked by the scraping sounds of rock andcorpses striking the bows of their ships.

The precise fate of Mr. Schuit is not entirely known. It iscertain that his town of Anjer was hit by an enormous tsunami. Hisresidence was reduced to some patchy foundations and the roots ofthe trees that once swayed in the tropical breezes. London receivedno more reports from Mr. Schuit; it was left to the Lloyd'ssub-agent further inland to telegraph the fate of Anjer: "All gone.Plenty [of] lives lost."

The world's scientific community was -- and still is --fascinated by the worldwide effects of Krakatoa's eruption. Intensecollaborative study brought about an increased understanding insuch diverse phenomenon as global weather patterns, volcanicactivity, atmospheric shock waves, and the recovery of plant andanimal life after an eruption's devastating effects. Krakatoabecame significant not only as a destructive volcano but also as afountain of human learning and discovery.

Some of the most striking global effects of the mighty explosionof Krakatoa were visual. Volcanic ash circled the globe in theupper atmosphere causing unusual solar coronas and odd colorationsto the sun and moon alike. Scientists, artists, and average folkalike were awestruck for months and even years afterward by theintense twilight colors that made the sky appear to be aglow withred fire. As one author from the Atlantic Monthly noted inApril of 1884, "When this volcanic dust ceases to glorify our skiesat dawn and eve, we shall part with what has probably been the mostremarkable and picturesque accident to the earth's physical lifethat has been known with the limits of recorded history."

That's the wonder of tragedy. It can bring out the highestlevels of human cooperation and ingenuity. It can lead us to newdiscoveries and help us recognize the wonder of our planet anew.While we cannot sugarcoat the events of the DeepwaterHorizon, let's hope that we don't miss out on the incredibleopportunities and discoveries that a responsible response totragedy can provide.