All articles tagged with #volcano
Satellites from NASA and partners monitor a submarine eruption north of Papua New Guinea that could create a new island, with steam plumes, ash, thermal hotspots, and floating pumice rafts detected from space as scientists track vent depth and the potential land formation using radar and optical data.
Olympus Mons on Mars rises about 21 kilometers (70,000 feet) and spans roughly 370 miles, making it the largest volcano in the solar system and, by some measures, the tallest mountain. Its gentle slopes and the thin Martian atmosphere mean the summit rises near space; its last major eruption is dated around 25 million years ago, so it’s considered dormant rather than extinct. The volcano grew large thanks to Mars’s low gravity, lack of plate tectonics, and a long eruptive history within the Tharsis region alongside other giant volcanoes, though the exact origin of its base cliffs and whether it could erupt again remain subjects of active research.
Mount Etna blasted ash into the Sicilian sky, with emissions from the Voragine crater rising to about 1.5 km. The eruption led to the temporary closure of Catania Fontanarossa airport and cancellations/rescheduling of ITA Airways flights, as authorities warned the ash cloud could drift south in the coming hours.
The 2026 IPPAwards announced four overall winners and numerous category winners across styles from abstract to people, led by a stunning night shot of a volcanic eruption in the Cayman Islands captured on an iPhone 15 Pro. Judges reiterate that great photography comes from the photographer, not the gear, and the full winning gallery is on the IPPAwards site.
Antarctica’s Mount Erebus—the southernmost active volcano with a permanent lava lake—releases microscopic crystals of pure gold in its volcanic gases. About 80 grams of gold crystals are emitted daily (roughly $6,000), totaling over $2 million per year, with crystals able to travel up to 1,000 kilometers before depositing on ice. Scientists propose two main theories for formation—direct crystallization from chlorine-rich gases as they cool, or growth on the lava lake surface before release—yet the exact mechanism remains unsolved.
Olympus Mons on Mars rises about 22 km above the plains and spans roughly 600 km, making it the solar system’s tallest volcano. Its vast width means the summit is often invisible from the slopes, a result of its gentle, shield‑volcano profile built by countless lava flows; its rim is steep and a sprawling 80‑km caldera sits at the top, a consequence of Mars’s stationary crust and lower gravity.
A Yemeni daredevil known as the 'Spider-Man of Yemen' died after losing his grip while climbing the sheer wall of the Hardah Dam volcanic crater without safety gear; rescuers spent four hours locating his body about 100 feet beneath the crater's surface, prompting authorities to warn adventurers to use protective gear.
A Yemeni climber nicknamed the 'Spider-Man' has died after a fall while scaling a volcanic crater.
A green fireball lit up the sky during Mount Mayon’s eruption in the Philippines, but scientists concluded it probably burned up in Earth’s atmosphere rather than striking the ground or the volcano. Energy estimates were around 6.8 million kilograms of gunpowder, and the event was captured on livestreams and cameras. The lava flow continued beneath as researchers stressed that such space rocks are typically slowed or disintegrated by the atmosphere, with roughly 25 million meteors expected to be handled by it daily. It’s a rare, dramatic glimpse into the volatility of our planet.
Satellite data show Taftan, a remote volcano in southeastern Iran, has risen about 9 cm in 10 months, signaling pressure buildup near the summit in a shallow hydrothermal/magmatic system. The uplift, centered near the summit, likely reflects gas and fluids moving through cracks rather than magma reaching the surface, so eruption is not imminent but ongoing monitoring is essential. Authorities should track gas emissions, install a basic seismic/GPS network, and update hazard maps while satellites continue to monitor.
Campi Flegrei, the volcanic caldera west of Naples, is accelerating toward a breaking point, with a new study suggesting the system could transition within the next decade. The outcome is uncertain: it could trigger an eruption or another change in the volcano's internal plumbing. About 500,000 people live in the area, so researchers plan ongoing forecasts to support emergency planning, but no date or size of an eruption can be determined from the current data.
Fresh Landsat 9 imagery from NASA’s Earth Observatory shows heat beneath Russia’s Shivelyuch volcano melting the Kamchatka snow as a lava dome expands inside the crater and pyroclastic deposits persist, revealing ongoing magma movement and cycles of destruction and rebuilding monitored by KVERT.
Researchers analyzing the 2022 Hunga Tonga eruption found unusually high formaldehyde in the plume, indicating methane was being rapidly destroyed by chlorine radicals formed in sunlight-activated reactions. The study demonstrates a natural methane-removal pathway in volcanic plumes and quantifies about 900 metric tons per day of methane destroyed—far less than the eruption’s total methane output—while suggesting chlorine-mediated methane destruction could inform future atmospheric cleanup research, though practical application remains uncertain.
An Indonesian guide recalls guiding a group up Mount Dukono before it erupted, killing three hikers—two Singaporeans and one Indonesian—after they ignored warnings and a climbing ban. Rescue teams recovered the victims and treated survivors; authorities are investigating potential negligence by tour operators as Dukono remains closed to climbers.
Indonesian rescuers recovered one body and continue searching for two missing Singaporean climbers after Mount Dukono erupted near Halmahera; authorities say the hikers entered a prohibited zone, and the area remains under high alert.