James Stewart

There is a potential cause for alarm elsewhere in Europe too. The Greek island of Santorini nowadays is shaped like a crescent. Wind viewed from above with its neighbouring islands, it's easy to imagine Santorini as making up one part of a volcanic caldera, many kilometres across. No surprise then, that's exactly what it is.

There is a potential cause for alarm elsewhere in Europe too. The Greek island of Santorini nowadays is shaped like a crescent. Wind viewed from above with its neighbouring islands, it's easy to imagine Santorini as making up one part of a volcanic caldera, many kilometres across. No surprise then, that's exactly what it is.

There is a potential cause for alarm elsewhere in Europe too. The Greek island of Santorini nowadays is shaped like a crescent. Wind viewed from above with its neighbouring islands, it's easy to imagine Santorini as making up one part of a volcanic caldera, many kilometres across. No surprise then, that's exactly what it is.

The eruption that caused it was not strictly a super eruption, given its eruptive volume of less than 100 cubic kilometres and its VEI of 7. Nevertheless, this eruption, occurring around 1600 BC, devastated the eastern Mediterranean, generating a tsunami that was tens of metres high when it reached the nearby island of Crete.

The eruption that caused it was not strictly a super eruption, given its eruptive volume of less than 100 cubic kilometres and its VEI of 7. Nevertheless, this eruption, occurring around 1600 BC, devastated the eastern Mediterranean, generating a tsunami that was tens of metres high when it reached the nearby island of Crete.

The eruption that caused it was not strictly a super eruption, given its eruptive volume of less than 100 cubic kilometres and its VEI of 7. Nevertheless, this eruption, occurring around 1600 BC, devastated the eastern Mediterranean, generating a tsunami that was tens of metres high when it reached the nearby island of Crete.

This explosion could have even contributed to the downfall of the Minoan civilisation that was based on Crete, and might have inspired the myth of Atlantis. Volcanic activity has continued at Santorini since then, although no eruption has come close to the violence of that Bronze Age cataclysm.

This explosion could have even contributed to the downfall of the Minoan civilisation that was based on Crete, and might have inspired the myth of Atlantis. Volcanic activity has continued at Santorini since then, although no eruption has come close to the violence of that Bronze Age cataclysm.

This explosion could have even contributed to the downfall of the Minoan civilisation that was based on Crete, and might have inspired the myth of Atlantis. Volcanic activity has continued at Santorini since then, although no eruption has come close to the violence of that Bronze Age cataclysm.

Scientists continue to monitor the region for signs of unrest, and although the question is when rather than if the volcano will erupt, again there are no indications that a big one is imminent. So how worried should we be about such an eruption in our lifetimes? Well, one day Santorini or the flagrion fields or Yellowstone or Taupo or one of the other supervolcano candidates will blow.

Scientists continue to monitor the region for signs of unrest, and although the question is when rather than if the volcano will erupt, again there are no indications that a big one is imminent. So how worried should we be about such an eruption in our lifetimes? Well, one day Santorini or the flagrion fields or Yellowstone or Taupo or one of the other supervolcano candidates will blow.

Scientists continue to monitor the region for signs of unrest, and although the question is when rather than if the volcano will erupt, again there are no indications that a big one is imminent. So how worried should we be about such an eruption in our lifetimes? Well, one day Santorini or the flagrion fields or Yellowstone or Taupo or one of the other supervolcano candidates will blow.

And blow big. That's a certainty. But it's one of those high impact, low probability hazards, like a large asteroid striking the Earth. Although the chances of it happening are low in any given year, it will happen. And when it does, the consequences will be severe. In the case of Santorini, the alarm bells are already ringing, after the picturesque island was evacuated in February 2025.

And blow big. That's a certainty. But it's one of those high impact, low probability hazards, like a large asteroid striking the Earth. Although the chances of it happening are low in any given year, it will happen. And when it does, the consequences will be severe. In the case of Santorini, the alarm bells are already ringing, after the picturesque island was evacuated in February 2025.

And blow big. That's a certainty. But it's one of those high impact, low probability hazards, like a large asteroid striking the Earth. Although the chances of it happening are low in any given year, it will happen. And when it does, the consequences will be severe. In the case of Santorini, the alarm bells are already ringing, after the picturesque island was evacuated in February 2025.

According to officials, on Wednesday 5th February 2025, more than 11,000 people left Santorini, with around 7,000 departing by ferry and 4,000 people leaving by air, after hundreds of earthquakes rocked the island, the strongest of which was a magnitude 5 tremor.

According to officials, on Wednesday 5th February 2025, more than 11,000 people left Santorini, with around 7,000 departing by ferry and 4,000 people leaving by air, after hundreds of earthquakes rocked the island, the strongest of which was a magnitude 5 tremor.

According to officials, on Wednesday 5th February 2025, more than 11,000 people left Santorini, with around 7,000 departing by ferry and 4,000 people leaving by air, after hundreds of earthquakes rocked the island, the strongest of which was a magnitude 5 tremor.

The incident has led to a rapid scientific response, with scientists now investigating for the first time how dangerous the next big one could be. As recently as April 2025, British royal research ship The Discovery, led by Professor Isabel Yeo and her team of 22 scientists, are on a mission to understand what type of seismic unrest could indicate a volcanic eruption is imminent.

The incident has led to a rapid scientific response, with scientists now investigating for the first time how dangerous the next big one could be. As recently as April 2025, British royal research ship The Discovery, led by Professor Isabel Yeo and her team of 22 scientists, are on a mission to understand what type of seismic unrest could indicate a volcanic eruption is imminent.