The U.S. Geological Survey defines a volcano as a vent in Earth's surface, either on land or on the seafloor, from which molten rock called magma, as well as ash and gases, can erupt or ooze. Different types of volcanoes erupt in different ways, with some erupting spectacularly and others, most notably Hawaii's shield volcanoes, steadily oozing lava. There are different types of volcanoes, including stratovolcanoes, shield volcanoes and cinder cones, and different types of lava and other volcanic flows. Volcanoes can be active, dormant or extinct. Most of Earth's volcanoes are located along the Pacific Ring of Fire, where many of Earth's tectonic plates subduct beneath another plate. Currently volcanic eruptions cannot be predicted, though most of the big, active volcanoes are routinely monitored and authorizes warn when they think an eruption is likely. Read below for the latest news on volcano monitoring and research, current volcanic eruptions and to see amazing pictures of volcanoes.
Latest about Volcanos
Watch Kilauea volcano erupt LIVE
Kilauea volcano in Hawaii is erupting with fountains of lava. Check out a USGS livestream from within the Halemaʻumaʻu crater.
Philippines volcanic eruption: Kanlaon volcano 'may progress to further explosive eruptions'
The Kanlaon volcano in the Philippines erupted today (Dec. 9) at 3:03 p.m. local time, spouting an eruption column of up to 1.86 miles (3 kilometers) into the sky and triggering the evacuation of 87,000 people.
Dramatic NASA images reveal lava coursing near Iceland's Blue Lagoon
A lava stream from a volcanic eruption in West Iceland is brighter than the lights of the city's nearby capital, new infrared images show.
US volcano quiz: How many can you name in 10 minutes?
Quiz How many of the 160 named volcanoes in the U.S. and territories do you know? If you live in Alaska you have a big advantage.
Eerily circular 'Goblin Forest' surrounds sacred volcano with human rights
Earth from space This 2023 satellite photo shows New Zealand's Mount Taranaki, which is surrounded by a near-perfect circle of deformed trees. The volcano was recently granted the same legal rights as a person.
Indonesia volcano eruption kills at least 10
An eruption of Indonesia's Lewotobi Laki-laki stratovolcano rained debris and ash on villages on the island of Flores.
How a catastrophic volcanic eruption on the North Korea border created 'Heaven Lake'
More than a thousand years ago, Heaven Lake flooded the surrounding area when the Changbaishan-Tianchi volcano, on the border between China and North Korea, erupted.
Mysterious 'blobs' in Earth's mantle are not what we thought, study claims
Lava that erupts from hotspots around the world seems to come from a similar ancestral magma, new research finds.
