I figured that the week of Thanksgiving would be quiet for research blogging — not true!  Lots of folks stepped away from the turkey and stepped up to give us some research highlights.

The entries that caught my eye this week were (mostly) about past or hypothetical catastrophic events.  So let this be the end of the world edition of my editor’s selections!

• The most super eruption of a supervolcano. CM of The Iapetus Beat describes the most devastaing volcanic eruption of the past ten million years, and new research about the impact of that eruption on human populations.
• Myth of strange matter and black hole at LHC. Now that the LHC is up and running again, so are the unfounded worries that it will destroy the world!  Bruceleeowe of Bruceleeowe’s Blog takes the time to knock down these concerns.
• Strange matter, doomsday, and you. But let’s get a second opinion — Greg Fish at weird things also tackles the LHC doomsday predictions.
• The South Pole is melting too. On a more serious note, Benno Hansen at Think About It discusses recent evidence that confirms serious melting at the South Pole.

With all this gloom and doom, let’s end with some beauty: Bruceleeowe of Bruceleeowe’s Blog (again) reports on the recent lovely images of the northern lights of Saturn.

Check back next Monday for more miscellaneous highlights!