Author(s): Clive Gifford

Disasters

Spewing out fountains of red-hot lava and toxic plumes of smoke, volcanoes are dangerous and deadly. But every volcano is different - in shape and size, location and destructiveness.

The Explosive History of Volcanoes explains the Volcanic Explosivity Index giving examples of more than 25 of the most, and least, explosive volcanoes in history and in the world today.

Find out about these amazing natural phenomena and see how they're formed, where they are in the world and why some explode so violently. Discover why people live so close to volcanoes and how scientists are helping to predict when the next eruptions might occur.

The consultant, Professor Katharine Cashman, is Professor of Volcanology, currently working at the University of Oregon.