James Stewart

Don't let your skin go extinct. Go Geology.

Don't let your skin go extinct. Go Geology.

Don't let your skin go extinct. Go Geology.

Thankfully, given their global impact, super volcanic eruptions are very rare, occurring only once every few tens of thousands of years or so. And the super volcanoes that produce them are also uncommon, with only about 20 of them known worldwide. This is because super volcanic eruptions can only occur under very particular geological conditions.

Thankfully, given their global impact, super volcanic eruptions are very rare, occurring only once every few tens of thousands of years or so. And the super volcanoes that produce them are also uncommon, with only about 20 of them known worldwide. This is because super volcanic eruptions can only occur under very particular geological conditions.

Thankfully, given their global impact, super volcanic eruptions are very rare, occurring only once every few tens of thousands of years or so. And the super volcanoes that produce them are also uncommon, with only about 20 of them known worldwide. This is because super volcanic eruptions can only occur under very particular geological conditions.

Where thick, viscous magma that can contain gases under explosive pressures accumulates, under the surface in huge volumes. This rareness means that not only have scientists never observed a super volcanic eruption themselves, but they don't even have any historical records to go on.

Where thick, viscous magma that can contain gases under explosive pressures accumulates, under the surface in huge volumes. This rareness means that not only have scientists never observed a super volcanic eruption themselves, but they don't even have any historical records to go on.

Where thick, viscous magma that can contain gases under explosive pressures accumulates, under the surface in huge volumes. This rareness means that not only have scientists never observed a super volcanic eruption themselves, but they don't even have any historical records to go on.

Instead, like detectives trying to solve a crime with no witnesses to question, they have to work out the processes behind super eruptions by piecing together clues deposited thousands of years ago. So let's run through a few of these geological cold cases. The most recent super volcanic eruption that scientists know of occurred around 26,000 years ago in New Zealand's North Island.

Instead, like detectives trying to solve a crime with no witnesses to question, they have to work out the processes behind super eruptions by piecing together clues deposited thousands of years ago. So let's run through a few of these geological cold cases. The most recent super volcanic eruption that scientists know of occurred around 26,000 years ago in New Zealand's North Island.

Instead, like detectives trying to solve a crime with no witnesses to question, they have to work out the processes behind super eruptions by piecing together clues deposited thousands of years ago. So let's run through a few of these geological cold cases. The most recent super volcanic eruption that scientists know of occurred around 26,000 years ago in New Zealand's North Island.

Super volcanoes don't have the classic cone shape that you might associate with more run of the mill volcanoes. The bodies of magma that feed them are so vast that when the volcano erupts and the magma chamber empties, a huge area of land simply collapses to form a giant crater called a caldera.

Super volcanoes don't have the classic cone shape that you might associate with more run of the mill volcanoes. The bodies of magma that feed them are so vast that when the volcano erupts and the magma chamber empties, a huge area of land simply collapses to form a giant crater called a caldera.

Super volcanoes don't have the classic cone shape that you might associate with more run of the mill volcanoes. The bodies of magma that feed them are so vast that when the volcano erupts and the magma chamber empties, a huge area of land simply collapses to form a giant crater called a caldera.

The caldera created by the most recent super eruption in New Zealand is now occupied by Lake Taupo, 186 metres deep and 46 kilometres across at its widest. The next most recent super eruption is probably one of the most famous. About 74,000 years ago, the Toba super volcano on the Indonesian island of Sumatra produced one of the most violent volcanic explosions in Earth's history.

The caldera created by the most recent super eruption in New Zealand is now occupied by Lake Taupo, 186 metres deep and 46 kilometres across at its widest. The next most recent super eruption is probably one of the most famous. About 74,000 years ago, the Toba super volcano on the Indonesian island of Sumatra produced one of the most violent volcanic explosions in Earth's history.

The caldera created by the most recent super eruption in New Zealand is now occupied by Lake Taupo, 186 metres deep and 46 kilometres across at its widest. The next most recent super eruption is probably one of the most famous. About 74,000 years ago, the Toba super volcano on the Indonesian island of Sumatra produced one of the most violent volcanic explosions in Earth's history.

Like Topor, the crater left by the Toba super eruption is now occupied by a large lake. But whereas the New Zealand event 26,000 years ago ejected a little over 1,000 cubic kilometers of material, the Toba super eruption 50,000 years earlier involved at least twice the amounts and perhaps many times more.

Like Topor, the crater left by the Toba super eruption is now occupied by a large lake. But whereas the New Zealand event 26,000 years ago ejected a little over 1,000 cubic kilometers of material, the Toba super eruption 50,000 years earlier involved at least twice the amounts and perhaps many times more.