volcanic activity

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Evidence Suggests Venus Is Volcanically Active 'Right Now'
On Our Sister Planet, the First
Direct Evidence of Eruptions
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

On Our Sister Planet, the First Direct Evidence of Eruptions

Evidence suggests Venus is volcanically active 'right now'

(Newser) - The second rock from the sun is much like the third, at least in terms of volcanic activity. "It's an active planet—right now," says Robert Herrick, a planetary scientist at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, who's found evidence that volcanic eruptions are indeed occurring on...

Europe's Tallest Volcano Is Growing—and Fast

Mount Etna at its tallest recorded height following 50 eruptions in 6 months

(Newser) - Europe's tallest and most active volcano has grown 100 feet in just six months, owing to some 50 eruptions, reaching its tallest height in recorded history, according to a new analysis. For the past 40 years, Mount Etna's tallest peak has been its northeastern crater. But the southeastern...

'I Hope It's Not a Live Volcano'
'No Signs of Life' on Island
After Volcano Eruption
the rundown

'No Signs of Life' on Island After Volcano Eruption

5 confirmed dead, but 8 others still missing

(Newser) - Five people are confirmed dead, but eight people are still missing after a New Zealand volcano erupted Monday , and national police said early Tuesday (local time) that reconnaissance flights over White Island found "no signs of life at any point." "Police believe that anyone who could have...

South Pacific Volcano Erupts, Diverts Flights

Residents flee Papua New Guinea's Mount Tavurvur

(Newser) - Iceland's Bardarbunga volcano still hasn't blown its top, but an eruption is disrupting aviation on the other side of the world: Flights between Australia and Asia have been diverted and an ash cloud could disrupt flight plans further after a major eruption in Papua New Guinea, the AP...

'Snoopy' Emerges From Japan's New Island

Island created by volcano expands, takes shape of Charlie Brown's pal

(Newser) - From the volcanic ash of Japan's newest island , the shape of a beloved cartoon figure is rising. When volcanic activity birthed a new island off the coast of Nishinoshima island in November, Japan waited to name it lest it disappear. But to the contrary, the island, since named Niijima...

New Island Isn't Disappearing— It's Growing

And it gets a name: Niijima

(Newser) - An island that sprouted out of the Pacific thanks to an undersea volcanic eruption some 600 miles south of Tokyo last month might just be here to stay. Scientists initially guessed the new island would soon sink below the surface— Pakistan's newest island is doing just that—but satellite...

Huge Mass of Volcanic Rocks Floating off NZ

Scientists say pumice rocks came from underwater volcano

(Newser) - A mass of small volcanic rocks nearly the size of Belgium has been discovered floating off the coast of New Zealand. The stretch of golf-ball-size pumice rocks was first spotted this week by a New Zealand air force plane about 620 miles northeast of Auckland. The rocks stretch for about...

Another Big Iceland Volcano May Blow

Katla would make last year's eruption look 'small'

(Newser) - Another Icelandic volcano has begun to grumble—and if it erupts, it could make last year's ash cloud look like a joke, experts say. The 2010 eruption of Eyjafjallajokul was "small," according to a scientist; it didn't seem that way to the airlines that lost $2...

Philippine Volcano Blasts Ash a Mile Into Air

Authorities say little risk of full eruption, issue level 1 alert

(Newser) - After a month's quiet, a volcano spewing ash and smoke in the Philippines today forced at least 2,000 villagers to flee to safety. Shooting ash more than a mile into the air, it was the volcano's 13th ash explosion since November, but officials said there is no sign that...

Japanese Volcano May Be Headed for Big Bang

Officials urge 1K to evacuate as Shinmoedake spews ash

(Newser) - Japanese officials urged more than 1,000 people to evacuate today, as the Shinmoedake volcano's first eruption in 52 years rages on, the Christian Science Monitor reports. The order is not mandatory, however, and some are opting to stay in their homes. But vulcanologists warn that the eruptions, which have...

Magma Makes Earth Rise at Yellowstone

But scientists don't think a major eruption is imminent

(Newser) - The massive volcano that lurks under Yellowstone National Park took a “breath” recently, causing miles of earth to rise dramatically, scientists tell National Geographic . From 2004 to 2010, parts of the 925-square-mile caldera have swelled as much as 10 inches, most likely pushed up by a magma pocket four...

Indonesia Evacuates After New Volcano Blast

One woman killed fleeing most powerful eruption so far

(Newser) - Indonesia's volatile Mount Merapi powerfully spewed smoke and ash into the air again today, killing one and forcing the military to evacuate the mountain's slope—in some cases, the AP notes, forcibly dragging screaming villagers away as the nation dealt with the latest natural disaster. The 21-minute eruption was followed...

Ash Cloud Forces Emergency Landing
Ash Cloud Forces
Emergency Landing

Ash Cloud Forces Emergency Landing

Eyjafjallajokull still isn't done screwing with flights

(Newser) - A flight making the short trip from Belfast to London had to turn around and make an emergency landing back in Belfast today, after pilots noticed an “acrid smell” in the cabin that may have been caused by the renewed ash cloud from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano. Ryanair wouldn't say...

Volcano Eruptions Led to Rise of Dinosaurs

The lava all but wiped out main competitors

(Newser) - An explosion of volcanic activity 200 million years ago may have been responsible for the mass extinction that left dinosaurs with few competitors and allowed them to dominate the Earth for almost 150 million years. Researchers have discovered evidence of massive lava flows concurrent with elevated levels of CO2 in...

Volcano Erupts in Iceland Glacier

Scientists fear small eruption could trigger larger one

(Newser) - A volcano erupted near a glacier in southern Iceland, shooting ash and molten lava into the air and forcing the evacuation today of hundreds of people from nearby villages. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano, but scientists feared the eruption could trigger a...

Alaska Volcano Continues to Rumble, Fume

Scientists keep wary eye on Mt. Redoubt, near Anchorage

(Newser) - Researchers are keeping a close eye on Alaska’s Mt. Redoubt, a volcano that could erupt any time, KTUU-TV reports. The peak—located about 110 miles southwest of Anchorage—has seen increased earthquakes and tremors in recent days, CNN adds. Mt. Redoubt last erupted in 1989-90.

Swarm of Quakes Jolts Yellowstone

Scientists closely monitoring unusual rash of shakers

(Newser) - Wary scientists are keeping a close eye on developments in Yellowstone National Park after some 250 small quakes jolted the park within three days, AP reports. Yellowstone is no stranger to seismic activity but experts say the number of the quakes is hghly unusual and could signal something bigger brewing...

Young Island Is Scientists' Playground

Surtsey, formed off Iceland in 1963 eruption, is no-tourists-allowed model of evolution

(Newser) - On Surtsey, off Iceland's coast, scientists take life one species at a time, the Christian Science Monitor reports. Since the island erupted from the ocean in 1963, only researchers have been permitted to visit and catalog its colonization by external species. With 2½ acres of land eroding each year, they’...

Colombian Volcano Sends 15,000 Fleeing

Spitting hot ash; lava could follow

(Newser) - As many as 15,000 people living near Colombia's Nevado del Huila volcano were evacuated today as the mountain spit hot ash onto the area. Officials report no injuries, but say it's too early to assess the damage or offer a prognosis for the eruption. "Other types of material...

Ecuadorian Volcano Explodes
Ecuadorian Volcano Explodes

Ecuadorian Volcano Explodes

Thousands flee as Andean 'throat of fire' blasts ash

(Newser) - The massive Tungurahua volcano in the Ecuadoran Andes erupted in smoke and fire yesterday, forcing thousands of villagers to flee. Eleven families who refused to leave the area were removed by force as the volcano shot columns of ash six miles into the air, AP reports. Tungurahua—meaning "throat...

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