Volcanoes

The volcanic plume responsible for the 2010 eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull Volcano in Iceland has also brought up bits of Earth's ancient mantle from deep inside the planet.

Earth’s Water May Be as Old as the Earth Itself

Ancient volcanic rocks may have preserved tiny samples of the planet’s original moisture

"The Nut," an ancient volcanic plug on Tasmania in Australia

Scientists Recently Realized That 1,240 Miles of Volcanoes Were Connected

Now the Cosgrove Volcano Track is the longest on Earth

This Indonesian Volcano Erupts Electric-Blue Streams Of Molten Sulfur

Glowing blue rivers illuminate Java’s Blue Fire Crater.

Early marine arthropods called trilobites disappeared—along with 90 percent of species in the ocean and 75 percent of those on land—at the end of the Permian period.

Massive Volcanic Eruptions Triggered Earth’s "Great Dying"

Geologists nailed down the timing of the ancient event and confirmed that it is a likely suspect in the Permian extinction

Ash and aerosols pour out of the erupting Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland in 2010.

Sixth-Century Misery Tied to Not One, But Two, Volcanic Eruptions

The ancient event is just one among hundreds of times volcanoes have affected climate over the past 2,500 years

The hydrophobic bacteria that coat the ceilings of some dark lava caves produce a gorgeous golden sparkle.

How Bacteria Make This Underground, Awe-Inspiring Cave Shine Gold

These underground tubes at Lava Beds National Monument include sparkling gold ceilings that even NASA wants to study

An active basalt lava flow in the wild (from a volcano, not from the lab)

To Better Understand Lava, an Artist and Scientist Make Their Own

A lab at Syracuse University creates melts basaltic rock in a modified furnace

The view inside Pompeii's old granary

The Fall and Rise and Fall of Pompeii

The famous archaeological treasure is falling into scandalous decline, even as its sister city Herculaneum is rising from the ashes

What Did Insects Evolve From and More Questions From Our Readers

You asked, we answered

Scientist know that Venus' surface, depicted here based on radar data, was shaped by volcanoes, and a new study suggests they may still be active.

Venus (Probably) Has Active Volcanoes

And they’re (probably) erupting!

A satellite photo of the 2011-12 eruption that created Sholan island in the Red Sea.

Watch a Volcanic Island Form in the Red Sea

Magma troughs and earthquake swarms gave rise to two new islands near Yemen

A Volcano In the Galapagos Islands Is Threatening Precious Species

Pink iguanas, marine life could be harmed by lava flows on Isabela Island

Riders view the incredible vista in Dýrafjörður, Iceland, alongside their equine companions.

Why the Best Way to See Iceland Is by Horse

The country’s landscape is surreal and one-of-a-kind—so is a ride on the Icelandic equine

The Grand Prismatic Spring is one of the most indelible hydrothermal features in Yellowstone National Park.

Giant New Magma Reservoir Found Beneath Yellowstone

While an eruption is still unlikely, the find improves our understanding of the supervolcano underneath the national park

Watch A Dangerous Yet Lovely Volcano Erupt in Chile

Calbuco volcano springs to life after more than 40 years of dormancy

The rugged northwest coast of the island of Tristan. Winds and waves are so rough that many of past inhabitants were shipwrecked sailors who drifted ashore.

Redesigning the World's Most Remote Human Settlement

Why architects are hosting a competition to help inhabitants keep living there—and how you can visit

Scientists use underwater vehicles like these to study eruptions beneath the surface.

This is What An Underwater Volcano Sounds Like

Decoding the noises of magma and bubbles will help scientists study explosions from afar

Ice cores in Colorado are stored in a freezer at -33F. The core pictured here is from Greenland.

Ice Scientists of the Future Will Study Glaciers That No Longer Exist

Glaciologists are stocking up on ice cores to ensure a future for their field

Here Are the Places Most at Risk of a Volcanic Explosion

New research will help countries prepare

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Ask Smithsonian: Could the Volcano Beneath Yellowstone National Park Ever Erupt?

The good news is that an eruption there is highly unlikely, but the bad news is that it would be huge

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