logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2024
4m 55s

What is lava made of?

American Public Media
About this episode

Lava is the red-hot gloop that comes pouring out of an erupting volcano. But what is it made out of? Some sort of supercharged Silly Putty? Volcano guts? Super-spicy habanero sauce? We asked geoscience grad student Kelsey Woody to help us find the answer.


Got a real scorcher of a question? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, we’d LAVA to find the answer for you.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Up next
Oct 8
We’re back! Brains On Universe has a new headquarters
We’re back! We’ve officially moved into our new headquarters! Come unpack with us and get a tour while we fill you in on some big news. Plus, new episodes of Brains On coming later this month and new Smash Boom and Forever Ago after that. If you want to support the show or drop u ... Show More
7m 30s
Jun 2025
A big update about Moment of Um and the Brains On Universe
We're moving the Brains On Universe Headquarters, and that means we have to stop putting out new episodes until we get settled. We know: not cool. But, our new home is going to be bigger and better and the absolute BEST. We can't wait until it's ready for you to visit.In the mean ... Show More
2m 57s
Jun 2025
How do braces work?
They come in cool colors, catch popcorn kernels and sometimes even have spacers - it’s braces! Ever wondered how braces magically straighten teeth? We asked Dr. ArNelle Wright - a real life dentist! - to help us break down the science of these tiny metal wonders.Bracing for a tou ... Show More
6m 19s
Recommended Episodes
Jun 2025
The Volcanic Eruption Adventure
Would you fly to the top of a volcano that’s about to erupt at any moment? Volcanologist Helena Buurman did, and survived to tell the tale! In 2008, Helena was monitoring Mount Redoubt in Alaska, when the ground beneath the volcano began to shake. What follows is a tale of volcan ... Show More
18m 34s
Oct 2
La lave (Lava)
Des passagers ont filmé des coulées de lave et de la fumée alors que leur avion survolait un volcan sur la péninsule de Reykjanes, en Islande. Traduction:Passengers have filmed lava floes and smoke as their plane passed over a volcano on Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula. Hosted on A ... Show More
2m 27s
Dec 2024
La lave (Lava)
<p>Des passagers ont filmé des coulées de lave et de la fumée alors que leur avion survolait un volcan sur la péninsule de Reykjanes, en Islande.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Traduction: </p><p>Passengers have filmed lava floes and smoke as their plane passed over a volcano on Iceland's Re ... Show More
2m 27s
Sep 2025
When did volcanoes start existing?
<p>Volcanoes have been erupting on Earth for BILLIONS of years, and they’re still creating new landscapes today! Volcanoes can seem mysterious and scary, but people all over the world have learned to live in close proximity to active volcanoes. Today we answer questions you’ve se ... Show More
26m 1s
Jul 2024
What are rocks made of?
<p>Rocks are all around us… they’re in the garden, on the road, in the bush and all our waterways... But how did they all get there? And what are they made of? Nij and the kids meet Dr Heather Handley in her subterranean submarine 'Velma' and venture into a volcano for answers….  ... Show More
14m 7s
Jan 2019
Can Volcanoes Power the World?
Magma is the hot, molten rock found beneath the Earth’s crust. It’s so plentiful that it got Greek listener Dimitrios wondering whether we could harness this heat. Could we drill directly into the magma and use it to power our homes, he asks presenter Marnie Chesterton? And from ... Show More
33m 12s
Feb 2025
Threads of fire: uncovering volcanic secrets with Pele’s hair and tears
Volcanoes are awe-inspiring beasts. They spew molten rivers, towering ash plumes, and – in rarer cases – delicate glassy formations known as Pele’s hair and Pele’s tears. These volcanic materials, named after the Hawaiian goddess of volcanoes and fire, are the focus of the latest ... Show More
52m 39s
Sep 2024
Pourquoi les orages volcaniques sont-ils fascinants ?
<p>Avec leurs coulées de lave et leurs panaches de cendres, les éruptions volcaniques sont aussi dangereuses que fascinantes. D'autant qu'elles se signalent par d'autres phénomènes spectaculaires, comme les orages volcaniques.</p><br><p>Les spécialistes les appellent ainsi car il ... Show More
1m 51s
Sep 2017
Volcanology (VOLCANOES) with Jess Phoenix
<p>In this first episode of Ologies, Alie Ward chats with volcanologist Jess Phoenix who also happens to be running for Congress. Learn how hot magma is, how volcanoes are formed, how screwed the Pacific Northwest is, what thrills Jess about volcanoes, and what to do if surrounde ... Show More
57m 1s
Sep 2024
What Is the Pacific Ring of Fire?
The Ring of Fire is a loop around the Pacific Ocean that's a literal hotbed of volcanoes, earthquakes, hydrothermal vents, and other geologic activity. Learn how the interactions among tectonic plates cause all this mayhem in today's episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: ... Show More
8m 14s