More than 160 villages and towns were wiped clean from the landscape. Ash coated the ground and ships like a deep snow. Thick layers of floating volcanic rock covered the surface of the water for miles around. Volcanic chemicals and debris poisoned the waters and decimated the aquatic wildlife. Sailors began describing the passage through Schuit's once-tranquil Sunda Strait in the most horrific terms, being marked by the scraping sounds of rock and corpses striking the bows of their ships.

The precise fate of Mr. Schuit is not entirely known. It is certain that his town of Anjer was hit by an enormous tsunami. His residence was reduced to some patchy foundations and the roots of the trees that once swayed in the tropical breezes. London received no more reports from Mr. Schuit; it was left to the Lloyd's sub-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. Intense collaborative study brought about an increased understanding in such diverse phenomenon as global weather patterns, volcanic activity, atmospheric shock waves, and the recovery of plant and animal life after an eruption's devastating effects. Krakatoa became significant not only as a destructive volcano but also as a fountain of human learning and discovery.

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

That's the wonder of tragedy. It can bring out the highest levels of human cooperation and ingenuity. It can lead us to new discoveries and help us recognize the wonder of our planet anew. While we cannot sugarcoat the events of the Deepwater Horizon, let's hope that we don't miss out on the incredible opportunities and discoveries that a responsible response to tragedy can provide.