Scientists Dropped Gophers On Mount St. Helens for 24 Hours. Four Decades Later, The Impact Is AstonishingWhen Mount St. Helens erupted in 1980, lava, ash, and debris left the landscape barren for miles. It was obvious that recovery would take decades. But one team of scientists had an unconventional idea to help jumpstart the process: send a few gophers on a one-day mission to the...