Volcanoes are the most powerful forces shaping our planet, rumbling beneath every continent on Earth.

From North America to the Pacific, from Europe to East Asia, they erupt on schedules scientists are still struggling to understand. Vesuvius in 79 AD and the 2022 Hunga Tonga–Hunga Haʻapai eruptions show their devastating potential, yet even these events only hint at what’s possible.

While volcanoes can bury cities and alter the global climate, they are also signs of a living planet – creating land, fertile soils, and the conditions for life itself. 

Volcano Countdown circles the globe to uncover the most dangerous volcanoes.