When will the next super-volcano erupt?

About this episode

The episode explores the potential for future super-volcano eruptions and the efforts of scientists in the Philippines to predict volcanic activity.

Is the world sitting on a ticking time bomb? CrowdScience listener Christel recently watched a documentary about a volcanic eruption in 536 AD that left her native Sweden under a cloud of ash for three years. It got her thinking, do we know when this could happen again? With more than 300 volcanoes – and 24 of them listed as currently active – the Philippines is a country where trying to predict eruptions has huge real world consequences. Presenter Anand Jagatia travels to Manila to meet the scientists at PHIVOLCS, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, including the head of their Volcano Monitoring and Eruption Prediction Division, Mariton Antonia Bornas, to find out how they try to predict volcanic activity in the country and help make sure communities are evacuated out of harm’s way. He travels with the team to Taal volcano, which experienced violent eruptions in 2020 and has been active again this year, to visit the observatory monitoring for signs of future activity and to hike to the main crater of the volcano with resident volcanologist Paolo Reniva. He also speaks to Dr George Cooper from Cardiff University in the UK about what makes a volcano a…

People in this episode

Hosts: Anand Jagatia, Ben Motley

Guests: Mariton Antonia Bornas, Paolo Reniva, Dr George Cooper

Topics covered

• super-volcano
• volcanic eruption
• Philippines
• volcanology
• disaster prediction

Keywords

• Taal volcano
• PHIVOLCS
• volcano monitoring
• eruption prediction

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Sweden, Philippines, Manila, Taal, UK, Volcanic Mountain Against Sky

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