This event had the force of 27,000 atom bombs and destroyed 234 square miles of forestland. This illustrated book tells the scientific and human story of that cataclysm, and the remarkable recovery that has occurred- some surprising facts are that the late winter of 1980 contributed to the survival of some hibernating animals; the larger mammals, including elk, brown bears and cougars have all returned; unaffected forests quickly spread to cover areas that were wiped out by lava flows. Many scientific studies are focused on Mount St. Helens, but not just regarding the ecosystem recovery, but also looking at the way life itself starts.