Latest story• Nov 26, 2025
Explainer: How friction inside magma determines the way volcanoes erupt
Stirring a jar of honey reveals an unexpected secret about why volcanoes sometimes fail to explode. For decades, scientists believed gas bubbles in magma formed only when pressure dropped as molten rock rose toward the surface. But new research published in Science shows that friction itself can create these crucial bubbles, much like honey flowing at different speeds when stirred. ETH Zurich volcanologist...