 Volcanoes are one of Earth’s most terrifying and exhilarating spectacles. These hissing vents in the ground, shooting sparks and oozing molten rock that can reach temperatures of more than 2000°F, are the closest we’ve ever gotten to the churning engine that keeps our planet running.
Select from the topics below to find out more about the fires that fuel our planet and how we can live safely alongside—and even benefit from—such destructive forces:
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Ancient Pompeii
Find out more about the famous eruptions at Pompeii and why Mt. Vesuvius took people by surprise.
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Understanding Volcanoes
Discover why the “Ring of Fire” spawns so many volcanoes and see how plate tectonics work.
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Types of Volcanoes
Learn about four types of volcano formations and discover what makes them different.
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Types of Lava
Check out different varieties of lava and see how they’re created.
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The Krakatoa Explosion
Find out more about the 1883 eruption that leveled an island and temporarily cooled the climate.
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Volcanoes and Climate
Investigate the details about the connection between volcanic eruptions and global cooling.
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Yellowstone’s Supervolcano
Examine the fact and fiction behind the supervolcano hidden beneath Yellowstone National Park.
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Hotspots and More
Get the scoop on mysterious hot spots and how they create chains of islands and craters.
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Living with Volcanoes
Learn how volcanoes improve our soil and provide us with construction, health, and beauty products.
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