logo
episode-header-image
Dec 2022
12m 6s

What Makes Hawaii's Erupting Volcanoes S...

NPR
About this episode
Just after Thanksgiving, for the first time in almost 40 years, Hawaii's Mauna Loa volcano erupted. It's one of several ongoing eruptions – including Kilauea, also on Hawaii, and Indonesia's Mount Semeru. At just over half the size of the big island of Hawaii, Mauna Loa is the world's biggest active volcano.

Today, volcanologist Alison Graettinger talks to Scientist in Residence Regina G. Barber about what makes Mauna Loa's eruption different than Indonesia's and others around the Pacific, and what it reveals about planet Earth.

Watch the U.S. Geological Survey's live video of the eruption here.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy
Up next
Today
Why The Tropics Have A Weather Forecasting Problem
Weather in the tropics is decidedly different than it is in the middle latitudes. It turns out, so are the weather systems – the factors that create things like the daily temperature and humidity! Historically, most weather forecasting models have been based on data from high-inc ... Show More
14m 7s
Oct 8
Doing Science at the Edge of the Earth
Some scientific discoveries take place in a lab. Others are made deep in the rainforest, along the ocean floor or on the dark side of the moon. And still others are made squelching through mud and ice on the northernmost island on Earth… at least, if you’re NPR climate correspond ... Show More
13m 15s
Oct 7
Solved: The Potato Origin Mystery
Usually, when two different species mate, it’s a disaster. At least, that’s what scientists had generally thought about hybrids, the offspring of these unions. But some researchers are starting to change their view as they learn of more beneficial hybrid events. The Atlantic scie ... Show More
12m 27s
Recommended Episodes
May 2018
Hawaii versus the volcano
Explosions are ramping up on Hawaii’s Big Island this week, as the Kilauea volcano continues to spew lava and blow a 12,000-foot plume of ash into the air. The volcanic gas and lava have already destroyed 25 homes and prompted the evacuation of nearly 2,000 residents. Vox’s Umair ... Show More
18m 7s
Sep 2018
Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii
Kilauea is one of six active volcanoes in Hawaii. This spring and summer, it erupted, and ribbons of molten orange lava flowed down to the sea, destroying homes and burning through the forest. It’s a spectacular, cataclysmic sight, and the sounds that it makes are strange and sur ... Show More
3m 32s
May 2024
Quels sont les différents types de volcans ?
Il existe de nombreux volcans de par le monde, dont beaucoup sont encore très actifs. Si l'on se fonde sur les types d'éruptions qu'ils provoquent, il en existe deux grandes catégories. On trouve d'abord des volcans effusifs. Ils se caractérisent surtout par le comportement de la ... Show More
2m 8s
Dec 2021
Canary Islands Eruption Resets Volcano Forecasts
A volcanologist says the eruption on the island of La Palma is a unique window into the “personality” of basaltic volcanoes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices 
3m 57s
Dec 2021
Can the weather trigger a volcano?
Which came first the volcano or the rain? Volcanic eruptions are known to influence global climate systems, even leading to the cooling of the planet. However local weather conditions can also influence the timing and ferocity of volcanic eruptions. As volcanologist Jenni Barclay ... Show More
33m 37s
Mar 2023
Why do volcanoes erupt only occasionally?
Volcano eruptions are a spectacular sight and a reminder of how powerful nature is. Rivers of molten lava can destroy forests, but they can also create new islands and mountain ranges! So why aren’t volcanoes erupting all the time? We asked volcano expert Lissie Connors to help u ... Show More
5m 31s
Aug 2023
The science behind the Hawaii fire
Hawaii is still reeling from the devastating fires that consumed Lahaina on the island of Maui last week. Professor of Meteorology from the University of Hawaii, Kevin Hamiliton, joins Science in Action to discuss the factors that make these events more likely across the Hawaiian ... Show More
29m 10s