MAIN Science Earth Sciences Volcanoes

While the destructive force of volcanoes was made clear most famously in the US by the eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980, volcanoes continue to make their presence felt worldwide.

"To make an omelet you have to break a few eggs" is an old adage that holds true for planet Earth with its yolk-like liquid core and thin, brittle shell or crust.

For eons, countless eruptions of hot volcanic lava at the surface have been responsible for than 80 percent of the earth's surface - forming the planet's mountains, plateaus and rich fertile farmlands.

Today, volcanoes are generally found where tectonic plates are pulled apart or come together, such as in Iceland and most famously in the Pacific Ring of Fire that encompasses the U.S. West Coast, Alaska and the Aleutians Island, and down along the whole of southern Asia.

Because the earth's crust is not uniformly thick, areas where the earth's shell stretches or thins result in volcanic eruptions such as in the East African Rift Valley, and the Wells Gray-Clearwater volcanic field in British Columbia.

Supervolcanoes

In the news in late 2008, Yellowstone National Park in the western US experienced unusually strong earthquakes that have worried scientists. Lying beneath Yellowstone, and driving the world famous geyser Old Faithful, lies a churning mass of magma that some experts say will someday result in a supervolcanoe, spewing massive amounts of ash and dust enough to disrupt life around the planet.

More about volcanoes around the Web:

Around the Web, take a closer look at volcanoes at top sites offering facts & information on the habits and history, where to find stunning photo galleries of recent volcanic eruptions, more on "submarine" volcanoes that happen under the sea, as well as kid-friendly resources and science projects for students & teachers ...

Earthquake and Volcano Cams and Eruption News - The latest pictures and news reports on major eruptions worldwide including a link directory of currently active volcano Webcams.

Volcanoes - The complete textbook online from the U.S. Geological Survey, with illustrated facts & information on volcano types and how they form, plus more on undersea volcanoes, plate tectonics and extraterrestrial volcanoes.

Volcanoes Exhibit- Cool, interactive survey of volcano facts & information with detours to learning games & teacher lesson plans, volcano history, predictions & forecasting, related resources.

How Volcanoes Work - Extensive online encyclopedia featuring facts & information on volcano types, eruptions and famous volcanos, with interactive quizzes and printable crossword, related resources.

Volcanoes.com - Portal to volcano information around the Web plus photo gallery, feature stories and suggested reading.

Volcano observatories online: