From the most explosive mountaintop eruptions to lava flows on the ocean floor, volcanoes are one of our planet’s most beautiful yet destructive natural phenomena.

With lava spewing forth from magma chambers deep within the Earth at temperatures often exceeding 2000° Fahrenheit, volcanic eruptions can form new islands, cause spectacular lightning storms and, periodically, decimate villages and cities. But the myriad of sights they give is unparalleled by anything else in nature.

(Image from the Volcanoman himself, G. Brad Lewis.)

Of course, although volcanic eruptions are occurring regularly these days, they’re rather tame compared to the supervolcanoes that occur only a couple of times every 100,000 years! The most powerful eruption in recorded history — 1883’s Krakatoa — was hundreds of times less powerful than the ancient supereruption of Mt. Toba, and thousands of times less destructive than giant magma chamber underneath Yellowstone National Park will someday be.

New volcanic history and activity is happening and being uncovered around the world (and sometimes on other worlds) all the time, and they’re even spawning a new sport: volcano surfing! Adopt this uniquely trained new trap as one of you’re own, and you have my word you’ll never regret it!

-Ethan