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The Exploding Lakes of Cameroon Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun are craterlakes They were formed when water collected in the craters of old volcanoes The volcanoes under Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun are not active anymore. However, poisonous gases from the center of the earth continue to flow up through cracks in the bottom of the lake. This is normal in a crater lake. In most crater lakes，these gases are released often because the waterturns overregularly.That is，the water from the bottom of the lake rises and mixes with the water at the top，allowing the gases to escape slowly. In the past，no one knew when the gases might explode，so there was no way for the villagers to escape disaster. Now scientists from the United States，France，and Cameroon have found a way to reduce the gas pressure at the bottom of Lake Nyos.They stood a 672-foot plastic pipe in the middle of the lake，with one end of the pipe near the bottom and the other end in the air.Near the top of the pipe，the team put several holes that could be opened or closed by a computer.Now，when the gas pressure gets too high，the holes are opened and some of the gas-filled water shoots up through the pipe into the air like a fountain.With less pressure，a disastrous explosion is much less likely.However, the scientists are not sure that one pipe will be enough to prevent explosions.They hope to put in others soon and they plan to install a similar pipe and a computer system at Lake Monoun as well. | 
