Hawaii site that measures global CO2 shuts down after Mauna Loa volcano eruption

Scientists scramble to re-establish the crucial monitoring that has been situated on the volcano since 1958

The world's premier measurement site for global carbon dioxide levels has been shut down because of a volcanic eruption in Hawaii, with scientists scrambling to re-establish the crucial monitoring that has been situated on the volcano since 1958.

Lava has been shooting more than 150ft into the air from Mauna Loa, the world's largest active volcano, since Sunday night and a river of molten rock is now not only menacing the main highway on Hawaii's big island but also the Mauna Loa Observatory, a scientific station situated on the northern flank of the volcano.