Supervolcanoes 101 | National Geographic

What are supervolcanoes, and how catastrophic can they be? Learn how supervolcanoes form, where supervolcanoes are located, and how their destructive capabilities can make way for new life.
➡ Subscribe: bit.ly/NatGeoSu...
About National Geographic:
National Geographic is the world's premium destination for science, exploration, and adventure. Through their world-class scientists, photographers, journalists, and filmmakers, Nat Geo gets you closer to the stories that matter and past the edge of what's possible.
Get More National Geographic:
Official Site: bit.ly/NatGeoOf...
Facebook: bit.ly/FBNatGeo
Twitter: bit.ly/NatGeoTw...
Instagram: bit.ly/NatGeoInsta
Read more in "How dangerous are supervolcanoes? Get the facts."
on.natgeo.com/...
Supervolcanoes 101 | National Geographic
• Supervolcanoes 101 | N...
National Geographic
/ natgeo

[@NatGeo]

Supervolcanoes have created unparalleled natural beauty, all in the wake of some of the world's most cataclysmic events. What intrigues you the most about these volcanoes?

[@5adwait]

Nature have gifts for life! we should care and save our Earth from Global warming!! and yes volcanos are beautiful phenomenon!

[@jasmineluxemburg6200]

What intrigues? Their massive power that exposes our human tendency to hubris and short term thinking ? We cannot easily get our heads around the phenomenon ? We are so caught up in our little worlds of self interest ! As a teacher and philosopher this intrigues me almost as much as the natural phenomenon ! It is also healing of trauma to get perspective by confronting time scales and vast power beyond our small human world. Nature has no ill intent at any level - other than that embodied in human beings ! That paradox is brought to mind when close to the power of our volcanic living planet. We cannot tame that level of power (though in Iceland they have geological power plants) but we can tame / civilise ourselves as peoples and nations !

[@johnyenglish3745]

do you think about disasters under control? This mean instead of waiting for an ejection of volcano, we will make a en ecjection under control. If a disaster under control meaning everyones knew and they easy move away from disaster will have no damage for human. A disaster under control will be less damage than waiting the nature is angry.

[@johanbama3660]

What are those 20 supervolcanoes?

[@angelomatawaran86]

There's a super volcano in the philippines?

[@immacentaur8793]

here after the eruption of Taal Volcano in the Philippines...

[@dominic4765]

Nope im here for yellowstone

[@fightnight14]

The eruption hasn't ended yet, the real eruption hasn't started yet

[@unculturedswine7012]

It only started worst it may last for 7 months or longer😕

[@edrrrk]

It erupted near my dad’s hometown

[@peerlesscultivator5658]

Good thing that the Taal caldera has been inactive and what we're seeing right now that is about to erupt is the volcano on the surface of taal itself. But it is deadly and I pray that all of the people living nearby will be safe.

[@GreatJANRBLX]

Here because of recommendations Also praying for Taal volcano victims. Stay safe.

[@ravi3044]

Yea bro🙏🙏🙏

[@Monogatari_]

Amen

[@lancediores5605]

Janus IVAN thanks 🙏🙇

[@johnrivera461]

Me too I hope they are all okay and better now🙏🙏❤️

[@silver_potato_playz4794]

I'm a Filipino thanks for the consern SALAMAT!!!!!! :)

[@Xaia_V]

It's like these volcanoes were pimples of our planet lmao

[@牧村永治]

I used to think of my pimples as volcanoes of my face instead lmao

[@Mrpresident97]

Lmao

[@memoriez..]

lmao

[@FabiolaGramajo137]

@@牧村永治 lmfao ✋😭

[@epiclandlord9527]

Pimples don't erupt. Volcanos erupt.

[@AzlianaLyana]

With calamity, comes beauty. With the recent wake of eruptions in key areas like Hawaii, Guatemala, and Indonesia, I hope everyone affected will stay strong. You will get through and survive this. Thanks for sharing National Geographic.

[@gwang3103]

GET THROUGH AND SURVIVE THIS?? A supervolcano eruption? I frankly think someone's lost touch with reality here.

[@paryudisaditya8845]

@@gwang3103 i think by this, she means recent volcanic eruption

[@urabouttoloseurjob842]

Those areas have it bad, yes, but the Pacific Northwest has 10 volcanoes that are considered a "high threat".

[@VesuviusGaming-um5yn]

If we can survive Krakatoa and tombora then we can survive Yellowstone ☺️

[@andraperdhanaputra5781]

Iam Indonesian so thanks you bec it really helps we even have bigger eruptions than this 😨

[@megarayquaza9054]

Video: "Around 20 Supervolcanoes are scattered across the planet" 0:20:

[@Mrpresident97]

Yes

[@27JLucas]

?

[@hello_person22]

Coincidence? 0v0

[@K.now.f1]

Soo??

[@GeoSY]

Ok?

[@beastmaster0934]

I like to call Yellowstone “The Sleeping Dragon” for obvious reasons

[@martinahmad2260]

Jawbreaker The Hyaenodon TOBA the biggest than Yellowstone

[@newbiechu7024]

Smaug

[@razorransom1795]

@@martinahmad2260 heh, that might have been the case at one point in time but if you see yellowstone's mantle plume's true size currently, you may rethink that.

[@ibuprofen17]

@@newbiechu7024 smaug from the hobbit

[@gordonlaroza5318]

Apolaki caldera from Philippine rise 2times larger than Yellowstone

[@DeathSythez]

Watching while taal volcano is erupting here at philippines

[@gener2473]

Stfu

[@justinw9455]

Wasn't a supervolcano

[@KillberZomL4D42494]

Justin W Yes, all the volcanoes in the middle of Taal Lake aren't supervolcanoes, but the whole lake of Taal is a supervolcano, it's in resurgence state right now but hopefully, it won't erupt in our lifetime, although I really wanna see a super eruption.

[@KillberZomL4D42494]

@@Angie-dh5gr The whole lake is actually considered the smallest supervolcano but it needs to be studied more.

[@acrylicskiez5839]

@@gener2473 epal sis???

[@isaacryndem1117]

Who saw a carving on the rock at 2:21?

[@joshua.dmurphy8643]

I did

[@yelyah5496]

Yeah what about it?

[@yelyah5496]

@Cheese Smoke Mine Bay Maori Rock Carvings are actually a very famous tourist attraction in New Zealand. The intent with that shot was to show it as it is located in Taupō.

[@yelyah5496]

@Cheese Smoke Just sayin'

[@litrally6973]

Cheese Smoke i mean omg i’m jealous of his 15/10 vision

[@kittynoir2038]

is it it just me or is her voice soothing?- and why is this more useful than my 1 hour science class

[@chaitanya1440]

IKRRR, I dont see why we need more than 5 years of schooling.

[@ejwyt9915]

I’m into geology thx for the info I’m 11 I wanna be a geologist when I’m older

[@darksukehiro6906]

@@jlinacags8037 I thinking also being a geologist

[@VesuviusGaming-um5yn]

What’s your favourite volcano 🤔

[@technowarriorstv]

Same here I want to be a geologist when I'm out of HS

[@VesuviusGaming-um5yn]

technowarriorstv what volcano do you want to visit first

[@VesuviusGaming-um5yn]

Vitamin Cee what volcano do you want to visit first

[@yanstisuyjimenez7917]

Whos watching here after our taal volcano erupted last sunday and still erupting

[@maddog9180]

Potang ina Mo

[@ΗαηηατΗεβαηαηαβαηαηα]

@@maddog9180 anong klaseng moraludad meron ka? Comment nya to kaya sino ka para murahin sya? Ano ka bata o tanga?

[@mrpuffball3949]

Me

[@supersaiyan1449]

@@maddog9180 Mukhang Naka Drugs ka ata?..

[@maddog9180]

@@supersaiyan1449 oi na hurt ko ba feelings mo?? Sorry ha tang ina mo

[@Chilling311]

New Zealand looks so good what a sight 😍

[@princessalize7618]

Supervolcanoes are EPIC!!!! Thks, National Geographic!

[@skeelox3422]

1:52 animation and real smoke together....wait WHAT???

[@coenfuse]

@Cheese Smoke it is a big deal

[@rangee6593]

@@coenfuse Its not a big deal, its just how they want the animation to be

[@ra_alf9467]

The amazing bulk

[@stevopusser9093]

Note from a geologist--many large caldera-forming eruptions (supervolcano is purely a sensationalistic media term) are not associated with mantle plume hotspots. There are plenty associated with plain old subduction zones, including Rabaul and several in the central Andes that are undergoing rapid inflation, as is Iwo Jima.

[@intender4good]

Thanks

[@eamondo1076]

thankyou

[@user-chardonneret]

WOW

[@hasnaalshammri4490]

عيون الجرده َليش عزلن

[@kennymoore4690]

Super volcanoes are both beautiful and terrifying I love looking at photos and I'm proud of the people brave enough to take the photos but I'm happy in my little spot where I hope there are no volcanoes

[@aestherielle1524]

1:48 when your acne just pops... kidding aside please pray for the Taal volcano eruption victims 🙏🙇

[@sweethoney3149]

im here because of taal volcano.. i love my country philippines.. Lord save us..

[@marifenavarro1642]

Then dont comment like this instead help than wasting ur time to promote of the erupt of taal geezz...

[@footballfun8120]

I’m terrified because I’ve had a geography lesson in school learning about volcanos 🌋 so I have been researching them it’s scary!

[@mariadaluzmoutinho5701]

A boca dos vulcões feroz ...ainda há muitos que não deixam de ter os seus tempos exuberantes e com lavas vivas ...a beleza e o horror de mãos dadas!!

[@Witty100RAB]

Sam to Frodo : Drop the Ring Mr. Frodo. Frodo : The Ring is Mine. Sam : Nooooooooo..

[@BmoBleep]

I really love her voice.

[@NewMessage]

No amount of kryptonite is gonna slow them down

[@alexandredominique5176]

😭😭😭 There are a lot of volcano recommended videos eversince Taal Volcano erupted days ago....

[@domingodeanda233]

That was so awesome!

[@mikejade4146]

tephra ....got a new nickname for my puppy now

[@Suijiro99]

Mike jade wut😂

[@KaikaiZuha]

This taught me more than my Science Teacher

[@MohammedWASIQSVU]

wow my suggestion got approved by Nat Geo Team, I have suggested to add voice as it was unable to cope up both with the Video and the Facts on display. Thanks a lot team.

[@shravanvirajcunchala1007]

"Before creation comes destruction" - Beerus Sama

[@princejamespangilinan3428]

I'm here from Philippines Mount Pinatubo.

[@aservantsoftheownerofdeath3952]

The super PIMPLES 😁

[@charlesdomingo2239]

a servantsoftheownerofDeathNlife lol ahaha

[@veroniqued2v775]

😂😂😂

[@urabouttoloseurjob842]

The most dangerous, threatening volcanoes are in the Pacific Northwest. This includes the Yellowstone Supervolcanoe. Anyways, dangerous volcanoes in the area include Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Baker, Mt. Raineir, Mt. Hood, Mt. Shasta, etc. If any of these blow, it's most likely gonna start a chain reaction. And if a volcanic chain reaction happens in the same area as the Yellowstone Supervolcanoe... Oh no.

[@razorransom1795]

Eh, your missing two more, long valley with the cosco volcanic field and possible connection with china lake and let's not fo get where the salton Buttes and the Durmid ladder near the Salton Sea as well, siduation. Besides, both the Buttes and yellowstone's hot spots are too close for my tastes to the major fault zones, and last time in ancient past, the new mandrid had some of it's worse quakes due to a mantle plume swelling underneath, that's now out off the coast in the Alantic currently. Just a for warning..

[@EJS611]

Wrong. The plumbing systems of different volcanoes are not all interconnected, they're independent of each other. If your baseless theory was correct, Mount Saint Helens would've set the whole thing off in 1980.

[@spookaj6261]

If they all set off in a chain, why didnt that happen for the st helens eruption? this isnt how volcanology works at all, as they each have seperate magma chambers. If they all had one it would make sense, but this is just simply not true at all.

[@mechemix]

2:16 amazing

[@KarthikKarthik-qc5ez]

Super

[@misao3004]

Mother Nature you strong and beautiful

[@TheseEyesSeeDarknessClearly7]

Can't wait for the Yellowstone volcano to erupt!!

[@epiclandlord9527]

You won't be alive when the yellowstone erupts. Same, I won't be alive too lol.

[@infinitejest441]

I can.

[@uvidulokuumagiliya3193]

This is a good thing

[@Eucalyptus55]

WOW WOW

[@justerkentoledo7429]

@nationalgeographic Is taal volcano in philippines a supervolcano? ANSWER ME NOW

[@alora9829]

Yes..smallest one in supervolcano category

[@epiclandlord9527]

Taal volcano eruption was interesting though. It had a lightning inside the ashes.

[@aukahpusing9887]

Toba is the largest supervolcano ever known. The second one is tambora. Toba is unique because in the middle of the caldera lake, there is an island which in the middle of its there is a small lake

[@VesuviusGaming-um5yn]

Auk ah Pusing Mount Tombora is a strato volcano

[@ProGamingTVGamer]

Tambora isn't even a supervolcano Yellowstone, Taupo and many more were way larger. And Toba isn't the largest, La Gareta and Wah Wah Springs both around 30 Mio years ago were 2 times larger and there were of course many unknown Supervolcanoes maybe 100 Mio years ago.

[@อาคมมากบุญ-ภ7ฐ]

ไม่มีใครเข้าไปอยู่ได้ที่กงตาก

[@umairahmed9599]

Can Nat Geo team make such a short ,concise and elaborative video on Blackholes!

[@woanjunnnnnnnnngaming9118]

I love the world

[@violetswindlehurst5555]

i love talking about these

[@c_osmics3644]

Weird that supervolcanoes were introduced before volcanoes. Hmm

[@KillberZomL4D42494]

c_osmics Supervolcanoes were like parents of smaller volcanoes, most of them creates or should I say gave births to smaller volcanoes like the whole Lake of Taal is actually a supervolcano and the volcanoes in the middle of the lake including the infamous Taal Volcano are the children, same with Lake Aira, a supervolcano lake in Japan that gave birth to Sakurajima volcano. Mother Nature is beautiful and yet so scary and powerful.

[@5adwait]

Nature have gift for life! we should care and save our Earth!

[@Ken-xc3zn]

Earth's Cyst

[@cloudypolly22]

YellowStone is actually in the 1st phase since 2013 at least. The magma is still trapped and is pushing the ground till this day, closer to an eruption and overdur by +600 years.A huge 5.7 earthquake happened in Utah on March 18, 2020, followed by multiple quakes.

[@ZaieN13]

I noticed supervolcanoes usually have a lake inside it's 'caldera' and now I realized Taal Volcano is actually a supervolcano 😱 which means supereruption might happen anytime soon. Please pray for all the people affected. 🙏

[@monmonfiasco6391]

actually laguna lake and taal lake is caldera of previous large volcano that due to super explosion it collapse it self and became lake due to continuous rain and land erosion from sea

[@personalemail1534]

What will your prayers do? Are prayers proven to help someone? Pleasr answer with facts only, thanks

[@shaira.jazmin]

Taal is a product of a supervolcano within the last 2 million years

[@ZaieN13]

@@personalemail1534 I don't need to prove anything to you. Faith is subjective and a personal matter. If you can't pray for others then donate. Thanks

[@elijahsackville-glucksburg]

It isn't a supervolcano.

[@KeepCalmandLoveClassics]

Enigmatic Beauty 🌋

[@zayn181]

I’m from New Zealand and the way they Pronounce Taupo has me weak 😂😂😂💀💀

[@footballfun8120]

Francis W 😖

[@Damon242]

Francis W I can’t even wrap my head around her pronunciation - even if you tried it phonetically you couldn’t get that Where does the ‘pa’ come from??

[@benedict6897]

Topah lol

[@nameunknown8053]

She prounounces it better than most New Zealanders who say "Towel-po"

[@sharmishthabasu3955]

fantastic. tnxs.

[@lammybennyhenhenmusic1559]

Wow that important thing

[@getachewmelkesa5617]

Cool

[@wintersolstice5813]

Laked caldera is beautiful, collapsed supervolcano is so beautiful

[@alanblanes2876]

Thanks for this excellent background. I hope that we can begin to face some of the emergency preparedness implications of what this large igneous province events actually could cause. We could end up with a decade of darkness of the nuclear winter variety. This would be catastrophic unless we proceed with that IEEE and China have proposed: a world superconducting electric power grid. If this were connected to a Gen IV thorium nuclear generation system, we could have a network of growing facilities that would be able to provide food for the world's population and could enable food to be provided in a helping hand manner to wildlife. This is part of what facing the IPCC and climate threats should include.

[@nickjones6706]

Woww

[@Sunshine12Norain]

Awesome informative about volcano

[@mahirahsattar9182]

Reminds me of what happened to Pompeii and Herculaneum

[@gulyaswift1503]

Beautiful

[@SunnyTacos]

There's usually good loot in volcanos tho and you can find some rare ore veins just equip fire resistant armor and ruby rings so you can beat the boss.

[@staytunedwithlohitha2178]

So interesting facts about super volcanoes.😀

[@TeamMarkos]

Who is here after Taal Volcano in the Philippines erupted?

[@squidwardjunior556]

Toba supervolcano : hmm interesting 🤔🤔

[@SeekerOfRadiantWisdom]

Short and precise

[@ewanreed4575]

Big up Dr Solana

[@vinpetrol4390]

Yellowstone: *erupts* ISIS: *STONKS*

[@uuuuuuuuuui6534]

Justin Y. this made me choke

[@veisszero]

how r u here

[@archer_1334]

oh u aint real

[@ScubaShark--8964]

FAKE

[@crissydc4488]

Eruption of taal in the ph and youtube recommends this 😹

[@Harshmellowww.]

I love watching this 101 series..

[@SniperTypist]

1:40

[@jennysilvestre123]

I love this narrator 😂😍

[@atifazahin8725]

me tooooo!!!!

[@joannecamilletorres1182]

cool

[@martinromano99]

I love you Nat Geo

[@Jo2014]

Taal volcano is currently exploding in the Philippines

[@diontaedaughtry974]

Thank you this was very helpful and informative 👍👍

[@dongray6834]

Knowledge! Thank you.

[@NatGeo]

It's amazing how much there is to know about volcanoes. We're glad you enjoyed watching, Don!

[@charliecox6867]

amazing.......

[@sleepykittyMMD]

Neato, super eruptions are like giant boils with sinuses connected and then it scans over until it fills again. Sounds like maybe we should start doing controlled pimple draining on volcanoes

[@g.p.d3791]

One situation about National Geographic forgot add one supervolcano with name Plato Putarano.

[@finalz22]

2:22 that face

[@dapussifier]

At 0:20, there is a yellow dot at Philippines. Which means we have a Super Volcano in our country. Could it possibly be Taal?

[@Mystic-4252]

Taal ain't a supervolcano, To be a Supervolcano, one must have a VEI of 8, Mt Pinatubo only had a VEI of 6, and Taal with VEI 4

[@VesuviusGaming-um5yn]

Mystic Gamer4252 a six is known as a ultraplinian eruption

[@user-yb7ik6sb1v]

@@VesuviusGaming-um5yn Doesn't mean it's a supervolcano.

[@nelforever9336]

Perfectly Cone Shape Most Active Volcanos in the World from the Philippines Mount Mayon 🇵🇭 🌎🌋

[@mina_sr_my37]

0:20 did i just see Philippines with a caldera?

[@diogorodrigues5688]

Thanks you National Geographic for the information👍👍👍

[@pheaya6118]

my brain thinking to swim on it. Bye.

[@anandchandra9070]

Hi i am a new person

[@beyoncefrances2573]

Resurgence is the best stage

[@tyowild3979]

Wow supervolcano..krakatau,tambora?

[@bonsvilbar8386]

Supervolcano is Yellowstone but Yellowstone makes a Large boom 💥 sound

[@antispiral4795]

"Supervolcano is yellowstone"?😂😐😑

[@RealFRGTheDarkBlue]

Supervolcano Toba: I'm Joke To You?

[@TaterChip91]

Pompeii be like, "but did you die?"

[@watanglipuhadjar2654]

there are more dangerous and need to be aware of than other contemporary issues 😎🔥🙏

[@justerkentoledo7429]

Taal is a supervolcano Because its lake (taal lake) is also a crater it formed because a major eruption just like in yellowstone,lake toba and others ,supervolcanoes is also stratovolcano before but it collapsed and formed a huge caldera likewise in taal SO TAAL IS A SUPERVOLCANO

[@aron1332]

Not all crater/calderas is a supervolcano

[@epiclandlord9527]

If taal was a supervolcano and it erupted now. It would destroy half of the Philippine's land.

[@markeithanyutuc565]

Nope not really, according to USGS the caldera was not formed in a single eruption, indeed it was formed by 4 different calderas the last time occured about 3580 bc it ejected 50 cubic kilometers of tephra into the atmosphere (larger than the 1991 eruption of Mt Pinatubo) . the other 3 other calderas was still not dated but we do know that they occured sometime in 140,000 to 5,000 years ago, some of the calderas probably had a Vei 7 or 6 eruption on the volcanic explosivity index (Vei) Wondering how did they know it? The answer is the ash bed that can be seen on the slopes of the caldera known as ignimbrite they were confused because it has different layers. They are collecting some of the layers so they can study and calculate the age of the eruption. The most important part: Not all volcanic caldera is a supervolcano.

[@reginedao-ang8993]

Currently experiencing Taal volcano eruption here in Philippines. Please pray for the affected🙏

[@lihalatoa3778]

New Zealand has a super volcano

[@skz0215]

we have an interesting planet

[@sethother8012]

You said Mount Toba had a super euption 26,000 years ago, but every else I look says 74,ooo years ago

[@ProGamingTVGamer]

Taupo not Toba

[@johnnynobleprice5898]

The caldera is the powerful supervolcano

[@sroudik]

LAVA FOR EARTH 00:26