Some burst to life in explosive eruptions, like the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo, and others burp rivers of lava in what's known as an effusive eruption, like the 2018 activity of Hawaii's Kilauea volcano. Some 1,500 volcanoes are still considered potentially active around the world today 161 of those-over 10 percent-sit within the boundaries of the United States.īut each volcano is different. There are volcanoes on every continent, even Antarctica. But as time ticks by, the elements break down these volcanic rocks, liberating nutrients from their stony prisons and creating remarkably fertile soils that have allowed civilizations to flourish. Lava rivers spread into bleak landscapes. Their explosive force crafts mountains as well as craters. They've created more than 80 percent of our planet's surface, laying the foundation that has allowed life to thrive. Volcanoes are Earth's geologic architects.
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