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Photo: Cyrus Read Geophysicist USGS, Alaska Volcano Observatory cread@usgs.gov, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.Test your knowledge on the fiery giants of our planet! From ancient history to incredible geology, see how much you really know about volcanoes.
Ash Wanderer 0–4 · Magma Explorer 5–8 · Core Master 9–10
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Mount Vesuvius erupted with devastating force in 79 AD, releasing a cloud of superheated gas and ash that preserved Pompeii in remarkable detail for centuries. Today, it is considered one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world because millions of people live directly in its shadow.
Photo: pietro scerrato, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0.
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The Romans believed that the island of Vulcano off the coast of Sicily was actually the chimney of the forge belonging to Vulcan, their god of fire and metalworking. When the volcano erupted, they thought Vulcan was busy hammering out weapons for Mars, the god of war.
Photo: Sailko, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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The 1883 eruption of Krakatoa in Indonesia was heard about 4,800 km away on Rodrigues, a small island near Mauritius, where people thought it was cannon fire from a ship. Its pressure wave travelled around the whole Earth more than three times, and it is often called the loudest sound ever measured.
Photo: AnonymousUnknown author, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.
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Mauna Loa is so incredibly massive that it makes up more than half of the Big Island of Hawaii. Rising about 13,680 feet above sea level, its true bulk is hidden below the ocean surface, where it extends down another 16,000 feet to the seafloor, causing the ocean crust beneath it to sag under its weight.
Photo: J.D. Griggs, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.
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The 1815 eruption of Mount Tambora released so much volcanic ash and sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere that it blocked out sunlight worldwide. This triggered 'The Year Without a Summer' in 1816, causing widespread crop failures and snowstorms in June across North America and Europe.
Photo: Giorgiogp2, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
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Volcanic lightning, often called a dirty thunderstorm, happens when ash particles, rock fragments, and ice collide at extreme speeds inside the eruptive plume. This intense friction builds up massive static charges that eventually discharge as spectacular bolts of lightning right inside the ash cloud.
Photo: Original image: Etrhamjr (talk · contribs), Retouching: Hike395 (talk · contribs, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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Pele's hair forms when bubbles of molten lava burst and the wind stretches the liquid rock into incredibly thin, golden-brown threads of glass. While beautiful to look at, these fibers are extremely sharp and can be carried miles away by the wind, sometimes contaminating drinking water.
Photo: Cm3826, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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Pahoehoe lava has a low viscosity, meaning it flows relatively easily and develops a smooth, skin-like crust that wrinkles into ropey patterns as the hot liquid continues to move underneath. In contrast, Aa lava is highly viscous and cools into jagged, sharp, and blocky chunks.
Photo: Quinn Dombrowski (quinn.anya), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.
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Surtsey rose from the ocean floor during an eruption that lasted four years, starting in 1963. Since its birth, scientists have strictly controlled human access to the island, allowing plants and animals to colonize the brand-new land organically without any human interference.
Photo: Howell Williams, NOAA, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.
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Yellowstone National Park is famous for its geysers, hot springs, and bubbling mud pots, which are all fueled by a massive underground reservoir of magma. The park's central basin is actually a giant volcanic caldera that was formed during three colossal eruptions over the last two million years.
Photo: Ed Austin/Herb Jones, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.
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