GEOLOGY

On August 21, 1986, Lake Nyos produced a deadly cloud of carbon dioxide.

Killer Lakes: Why Limnic Eruptions May Be the World’s Rarest Natural Disasters

Two events in Cameroon are the only recorded instances of limnic eruptions. Scientists are trying to prevent a third.

8 Granular Facts About Sand

Every summer at the beach, sand becomes an essential ingredient in the recipe for fun. But what the heck is it?

13 Facts About Mount Fuji

Japan’s highest mountain is also one of its most iconic landmarks.

An ice-free Antarctica is barely recognizable.

What Antarctica Looks Like Under All That Ice

If you've wondered what the land underneath Antarctica's ice actually looks like, science has an answer.

The Giant’s Causeway in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.

8 Facts About The Giant’s Causeway

In Northern Ireland, thousands of hexagonal stone columns of various heights rise out of the North Atlantic Ocean and climb up to the foot of a cliff, as if they had been placed by a massive mythical creature.

8 of the Biggest Tsunamis in History

The biggest tsunami ever recorded reached 1720 feet high—which is taller than the Willis Tower in Chicago.

8 of the World’s Most Spectacular Caves

Many of the world’s biggest caves have been discovered just in the past few decades. Here are some of the most impressive.

Mauna Loa erupts in Hawaii. A hypothetical eruption of the Yellowstone supervolcano would be thousands of times larger.

What is a Supervolcano?

What distinguishes this kind of volcano from regular volcanoes, and what will happen if—or when—one erupts?

Two hikers descending Ben Nevis, Scotland's tallest mountain.

10 Facts About Munros, Scotland’s Tallest Mountains

Scotland is known for the rugged beauty of its mountainous landscape.

Mount Saint Helens erupts May 18, 1980 in Washington State. The natural occurrence blew a mushroom cloud of ash thousands of miles into the air.

11 Explosive Facts About Mount St. Helens

When it blew on May 18, 1980, Mount St. Helens became the most explosive volcanic eruption in U.S. history. And no, it’s not done.

See What the Inside of a Volcano Looks Like, Courtesy of Some Unlucky Drones

Two unlucky drones were sacrificed to capture this incredible footage from inside an active volcano's crater.

The Enigma, a 555-Carat Black Diamond That’s Said to Be From Outer Space, Is Hitting the Auction Block

The 555-carat black carbonado diamond is purported to be from outer space, though some experts are questioning its origin story.

The Appalachian Mountains have a long, fascinating history.

11 Facts About the Appalachian Mountains

The Appalachian Mountains occupy a towering spot in North American cultural identity, thanks in part to the Appalachian Trail. The rugged peaks have been influencing the continent for a lot longer than we’ve been around to appreciate them.

Pyrite, or fool's gold, has fooled us once again.

Irony Alert: Fool’s Gold Actually Contains Real Gold

The metal known as pyrite fooled gold rush enthusiasts in the 1800s, but it turns out the material may contain gold after all.

Animal-inspired jewelry at the American Museum of Natural History.

7 Pieces of Animal-Inspired Jewelry From the American Museum of Natural History's Halls of Gems and Minerals

When the Allison and Roberto Mignone Halls of Gems and Minerals reopen at the American Museum of Natural History on June 12, they will feature a new exhibit of animal-inspired jewelry.

In Guatemala, Chef David Garciá Uses an Erupting Volcano As His Pizza Oven

At Pizza Pacaya in Guatemala, customers can order a pizza pie cooked with lava from an erupting volcano.

Watch Scientists in Iceland Cook Hot Dogs on Lava From an Active Volcano

When the long-dormant Geldingardalsgos volcano erupted in Iceland this month, scientists took the opportunity to have a lava-fueled barbecue.

Mt. Everest Just Got a Tiny Bit Taller, After Years of Disputes Between China and Nepal

The legendary summit is now nearly 2 feet taller, thanks to China and Nepal thawing out their contentious debate over its size.

How African Dust Storms Create the Caribbean’s Beautiful Beaches—and Protect Them from Hurricanes

Bermuda's red soil and the Bahamas's white-sand beaches might have come from the same place: the Sahara Desert.

Earthquakes don't cause giant cartoonish chasms to open up, but they can tear up the landscape like this.

9 Rockin' Facts About Earthquakes

Fear not: the chances of “The Big One” hitting while you read this article are very, very slim. But that doesn't mean you should let your guard down.

A Massive Volcanic Eruption in Alaska May Have Doomed the Roman Republic

Research shows that a volcanic eruption in Alaska triggered a two-year cooling period in the Mediterranean—possibly destabilizing an already volatile Roman Republic.

Two Bombs Dropped Near a Hawaiian Volcano Decades Ago Were Found Intact in a Lava Tube

Bombs were dropped near Hawaii's Mauna Loa volcano to divert the flow of lava in the 1930s and 1940s, and two devices that never exploded have just been discovered.

10 Steamy Facts About Old Faithful

Old Faithful isn't as predictable as it used to be, but geologists in Yellowstone National Park can still time its eruptions pretty accurately.

7 Mysterious Geological Formations That Still Baffle Scientists

From a lake the color of Pepto-Bismol to mysterious rock rings in the Sahara Desert, these strange geological wonders continue to stump scientists.