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Ancient rhinos in Nebraska lived in large local herds and died slowly from volcanic ashfall, not sudden disaster. Credit: John Haxby/The University of Nebraska State Museum ************************************************************************* Volcanic eruption from 12 million years ago preserves a snapshot of extinct animal life. Rhinos that once roamed much of North America 12 million years ago likely lived in large herds, according to a new study by the University of Cincinnati. Researchers examined isotopes in the teeth of rhinos found in what is now northeast Nebraska. At this site, more than 100 rhinos died at a single water hole and were buried in...

* Yellowstone’s upper magma chamber is just 2.3 miles deep, closer than previously thought, raising new questions about eruption risks. * Scientists used advanced seismic imaging to map the magma system, revealing a silica-rich upper chamber and a larger basalt reservoir below. * Volatile gases venting naturally reduce pressure but don’t eliminate the long-term threat of a catastrophic eruption. * Past supereruptions reshaped landscapes and altered global climates — the last one was 640,000 years ago. * NASA’s controversial plan to cool the magma via drilling carries risks and would take millennia to show effects. ********************************************************************** Yellowstone National Park, home...

This week, an unusually strong earthquake swarm occurred at an Azores volcano which last erupted a little over 300 years ago. Meanwhile, in Japan, the alert level was raised at the Kirishima volcano, suggesting an increased risk that it may soon erupt. And, in Indonesia, it appears that a new batch of magma has intruded underneath the highly potentially dangerous Mount Awu volcano. This video will discuss these stories and list the 47 actively erupting volcanoes around the planet via the analysis of a geologist. This video's thumbnail image displays the erupting Santiaguito lava dome (Santa Maria volcano) in Guatemala....

Are two of the most dangerous volcanoes in the entire world starting to wake up? We live at a time when seismic activity is on the rise all over the planet. More than three dozen volcanoes have recently erupted, and there have been more than 850 earthquakes in California and Nevada within the past seven days. Unfortunately, most people are not taking the threat that we are facing seriously. (snip) Thankfully, seismologists do not expect Yellowstone to erupt right now. (snip) In the shadow of Mount Vesuvius, a much larger and potentially catastrophic threat looms beneath the ground—Campi Flegrei, the...

Recently, the incoming Trump administration has expressed a desire to expand the territory of the United States. One option for achieving this is the annexation of Marie Byrd Land, a region of Antarctica that is currently unclaimed by any nation and whose exploration was pioneered by the U.S. Annexing this land can be done in a realistically achievable manner and would deliver practical gains. Marie Byrd Land is a region in West Antarctica that currently comprises the largest unclaimed piece of land on the surface of Earth. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) describes it as stretching east of the Ross...

United States Geological Survey said that it started around 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, and fountains of lava are now reaching up to 600 feet. [Video] HONOLULU (Hawaii News Now) -- Fountaining at Kilauea reached dramatic heights Tuesday evening. Episode 12 of Kilauea’s current eruption began at around 7:30 a.m. Tuesday with small, sluggish lava flows from the south vent. Two hours later, similar flows erupted from the north vent and both grew significantly throughout the day. The U.S. Geological Survey said as of 3:15 p.m. fountains reached heights of 600 feet with flows covering approximately a third of Halemaumau crater. Kilauea’s...

...the only known case of natural organic glass preservation in history. The brain vitrified at temperatures above 510°C followed by extremely rapid cooling, revealing a new timeline of volcanic hazards during the disaster. This unique preservation was only possible because of a perfect sequence: superheated ash cloud exposure, rapid cooling as the cloud dissipated, then burial by cooler volcanic flows...The victim, believed to be approximately 20 years old, was discovered in the Collegium Augustalium, a public building dedicated to the worship of Emperor Augustus. He is believed to have been the guardian of this important structure, which was located on...

Explanation: Can a lava flow extend into the sky? No, but light from the lava flow can. One effect is something quite unusual -- a volcanic light pillar. More typically, light pillars are caused by sunlight and so appear as a bright column that extends upward above a rising or setting Sun. Alternatively, other light pillars -- some quite colorful -- have been recorded above street and house lights. This light pillar, though, was illuminated by the red light emitted by the glowing magma of an erupting volcano. The volcano is Italy's Mount Etna, and the featured image was captured...

Explanation: Rima Hyginus is a spectacular fissure, some 220 kilometers long, found near the center of the lunar near side. Easy to spot in telescopic views of the Moon, it stretches top left to bottom right across this lunar closeup. The image was made with exaggerated colors that reflect the mineral composition of the lunar soil. Hyginus crater lies near the center of the narrow lunar surface groove. About 10 kilometers in diameter, the low-walled crater is a volcanic caldera, one of the larger non-impact craters on the lunar surface. Dotted with small pits formed by surface collapse, Hyginus rima...

DENVER (KDVR) — On Tuesday, visitors at Yellowstone National Park fled when a hydrothermal explosion occurred a few miles north of the famous Old Faithful geyser. No one was injured, but the event destroyed a nearby boardwalk and prompted officials to close the Biscuit Basin area of the park for the rest of the year. As alarming as the video and subsequent damage seemed, the phenomenon is a normal, common occurrence at Yellowstone, happening at least once each year. Officials with the U.S. Geological Survey told Nexstar hydrothermal explosions like the one that occurred this week are “not a sign...

Mount Ontake in Japan rises 3,067 meters above sea level — a windswept giant standing head and shoulders above densely forested hills. This ancient volcano is a popular trekking site. A trail traverses its ash- and boulder-strewn ridges. There are several huts and a shrine. On September 27, 2014, hikers took advantage of a blue sky and gentle wind. At 11:52 a.m., over a hundred of them stood on the summit, eating snacks and taking photos. Disaster struck with little warning. The windows and doors of a nearby hut rattled, vibrated by a low-frequency shock wave inaudible to humans. People...

Have you noticed that there has been a very alarming rise in volcanic activity in recent months? According to Volcano Discovery, 38 volcanoes around the globe have recently erupted, and dozens more are showing signs of either unrest or minor activity. In all my years, I have never seen anything quite like this, and I am entirely convinced that seismic activity will only increase during the months ahead. Here in the United States, I am watching Mt. Rainier very closely, and Yellowstone is a threat that is constantly hanging over our heads. But scientists are warning that Mount Spurr could...

A leading Greek seismologist warned that the volcano in Nea Kameni islet in the Aegean Sea has been activated since late January.Speaking to the In.gr news outlet, Panagiotis Papadimitriou, an emeritus professor of seismology at the University of Athens, said the activation so far hasn't led to seismic activity, but the scientists remain on yellow alert.According to him, the seismic activity in the area of Santorini will either weaken or lead to an earthquake of 6 to 6.3 magnitude on the Richter scale, which is not forecasted to cause a serious impact on the surrounding islands as the distance from...

Slumbering five miles beneath the surface of Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming is a timebomb more than 640,000 years in the making. The Yellowstone supervolcano is a vast reservoir of magma with the potential to unleash a category eight eruption over 100 times more powerful than Krakatoa. Thankfully, Yellowstone or any supervolcano of its size has never erupted within recorded human history. But now, artificial intelligence (AI) reveals exactly what that would look like.

The display of seismic activity has drawn numerous visitors, including Marco Bassot, a snowboarder. Several days ago, Bassot began sharing footage of climbing and riding the erupting volcano. The snowboarder in the videos cruised down patches of snow while, in the background, a river of lava bubbled. "This fracture started some days ago and created a huge, intense and impressive lava flow for more than 1.000 m, you can really feel the heat," Bassot wrote in a social media post. "I've seen many things in my 40 years of life but riding side by side of a flowing river of...

Bronze Age footprints, both from animals and from humans, were initially identified as work was conducted on the Diramazione Nocera-Cava dei Tirreni methane pipeline in the municipalities of Nocera Superiore, Nocera Inferiore, Roccapiemonte, and Castel San Giorgio. This prompted a two-year-long archaeological investigation.SoGEarch, an Italian archaeological society, oversaw the excavations through the Superintendence of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape for the provinces of Salerno and Avellino.The footprints found near the Casarzano stream in Salerno, roughly 20 miles away from Pompeii, contained rock fragments from the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Experts believe the people who left behind these prints were trying...

A state of emergency has been declared on the Greek island of Santorini after days of consecutive earthquakes. It comes after a magnitude 5.2 tremor was recorded at 21:09 local time (19:09 GMT) on Wednesday between the Greek islands of Amorgos and Santorini, making it the strongest in recent days. It is estimated to have occurred at a depth of 5km (3.1 miles). The decree will be in effect until 3 March to "address the emergency needs and manage the consequences", officials said. More than 11,000 people have already left Santorini, with around 7,000 departing by ferry and 4,000 by...

A series of earthquakes near the Greek island of Santorini have led authorities to shut down schools, dispatch rescue teams with sniffer dogs and send instructions to residents including a request to drain their swimming pools. he strongest earthquake recorded was magnitude 4.6 at 3:55 p.m. Sunday, at a depth of 14 kilometers (9 miles), the Athens Geodynamic Institute said. A few tremors of over magnitude 4 and dozens of magnitude 3 have followed. There were no reports of damage or casualties. Earthquake experts and officials from the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection and the fire service have...

Scientists studying six North American volcanoes situated along the continent’s Cascade Range have found active magma underneath both active and dormant volcanic sites. Previous research has suggested that volcanoes lose significant magma volume when they erupt, and any remaining magma dissipates over time. The scientists behind the discovery argue that a better understanding of the conditions underneath volcanoes could answer several enduring questions about their lifecycles, including whether or not all dormant volcanoes contain pools of magma underneath. The researchers also believe a better understanding of these magma-filled chambers could help inform efforts to prepare for potential volcanic eruptions. Even...

For the past decade, a suite of devices have been monitoring Axial’s every action — rumbling, shaking, swelling, tilting — and delivering real-time data via a seafloor cable. It’s “the most well-instrumented submarine volcano on the planet,” says Mark Zumberge, a geophysicist at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, Calif., who was not involved in the work. But in November, a particular milestone caught Chadwick’s eye: Axial’s surface had ballooned to nearly the same height as it had before its last eruption in 2015 — fortuitously, just months after monitoring began. Ballooning is a sign that magma has accumulated...