End of humanity? Blow-by-blow account of what would happen if Yellowstone supervolcano erupted now

Around 631,000 years ago, a geological catastrophe occurred in what is now north-western Wyoming, US. This event, believed to have been a series of immense volcanic eruptions, devastated life within hundreds of kilometres of the blasts. Ash dispersed across much of North America, with effects felt worldwide. Despite the scale, no known human witnessed the cataclysm.

Early humans, had they been around, might have noticed hazier skies and unusually vivid sunsets, but it is unknown if they connected these changes to any distant event.

Today, a super-eruption of this scale would indeed pose a threat to civilization as we know it. To explore what might happen if Yellowstone erupted, experts in disasters and volcanoes have conducted a thought experiment based on research and examinations of how countries have dealt with disasters recently.