the buzz log

Staycation? With glaciers splitting and total darkness taking over parts of the earth, this is no time to have your thighs stuck to the Barcalounger. Plan your trip to witness the natural universe at work... or re-stock the underground shelter and prepare for the end as you heed three recent Search signs of the Apocalypse.

"Perito Moreno Glacier." Glaciers rupture on a regular basis, but they usually have the decency to wait for the summer tourist season. The Patagonian glacier in southern Argentina already bucks the trend by advancing when all the other big blocks of ice are retreating, and it decided to fall apart during wintertime. Searches soared more than 5,000% when the 106-square-mile glacier cracked. Is global warming behind this? Some say, well, yeah, other scientists say, not so fast.

"Hawaii Volcano." Each Hawaiian island has its draw: The rainiest place on Earth, arguably the most touristed beach in America, and the world's most active volcano. Kilauea, the lava of which has lapped up precious land in the past quarter century, started spewing again with 50-foot high gushes. And yes, there was a surfer who had to get a closer look.

"Solar Eclipse." Wow, China really is pulling out all the stops, though who knows if Beijing residents will notice beyond the pollution, locusts and algae. A total solar eclipse will descend upon parts of Asia on August 1, and Wired News reports that fans of the dark will travel thousands of miles for the three-minute experience. A U.S. science museum will stream a Webcast of the moment, but somehow looking at a computer screen through a pinprick doesn't seem the same.