Social Media experts forecast that the total solar eclipse of August 21 will be "the most photographed, most shared, most tweeted event in human history," while highway authorities predict that the days surrounding the eclipse could see the greatest temporary mass migration of humans to see a natural event in US history. Oregonians are steeling themselves for the arrival of perhaps a million visitors, and attendant stresses on local services. This History in the News panel considers the eclipse and other monumental natural phenomena in social and historical perspective. Read more.

This event is funded in part by a grant from Oregon Humanities.