Earth’s core is apparently a bit leakier than scientists expected. In a new study published in Nature, researchers describe evidence that traces of precious metals from Earth’s metallic core, including ruthenium and gold, are seeping up into volcanic rocks on the surface. The University of Göttingen-led team examined lava from Hawaii’s volcanic islands and discovered […]
AI Identifies Author of Charred Scroll Buried by Vesuvius for 2,000 Years
For the first time, researchers have identified the author and title of a document that’s been locked inside a charred scroll for nearly 2,000 years—without peeling back a single layer. The scroll, PHerc. 172, was recovered from the ruins of Herculaneum, the ancient Roman town buried by the ash and debris of Mount Vesuvius in […]
A Massive Underwater Volcano Literally Shook the Edge of Space
When the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha‘apai volcano blew its top in 2022, it wasn’t just one of the most powerful eruptions in modern history—it literally made waves in space. The explosion sent a towering plume of ash and gas over 31 miles (50 kilometers) into the atmosphere, punching far above where commercial jets cruise and most […]
Immaculate Feather Fossil Reveals the Unlikely Preserving Power of Volcanoes
Fossilized feathers discovered 136 years ago are still revealing new secrets. Researchers found that the volcanic rock preserving the feather holds microscopic details preserved within the fossil. The team’s research—published today in Geology—found that the feathers are preserved in zeolite, a mode of preservation that hasn’t been reported for soft tissues until now. “Fossil feathers […]
Massive Supereruptions Might Not Trigger the Apocalypse, Just Decades of Chaos
Finally, there’s some good news on the climate apocalypse front. Climate experts have long believed that a volcanic supereruption—a mind-bendingly powerful explosion capable of altering Earth’s atmosphere—could wipe out a significant portion of life. But a new survey of geological records suggests the aftermath wouldn’t be quite as apocalyptic. It would still be bad—just not […]
Preserved in Glass: How Mount Vesuvius Locked This Roman’s Brain in Time
Nearly 2,000 years ago, Mount Vesuvius erupted, swallowing the nearby Roman towns of Herculaneum and Pompeii in a superheated cloud of ash, dust, and volcanic material. The environment was so hot that a team of researchers say it turned at least one resident’s brain into glass. Not only did the individual’s once-squishy, pinkish-white organ get […]
This Ethiopian Volcano Just Burped a Staggering Amount of Methane
There’s something odd happening under an Ethiopian national park. Volcanic and seismic activity were on the rise under a volcano named Mount Fentale, but the gas that began spouting out of the ground wasn’t what you’d expect from an impending eruption. Canadian greenhouse gas monitoring company GHGSat said in early February that the amount of […]