Science & Environment
Why volcanic crystals are black boxes for tracking magma's journey to the Earth's surface
Source: Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories · Published

When we think of a volcanic eruption, rivers of glowing lava or giant columns of ash come to mind. But beneath Earth's surface, a more complex story is unfolding. Magma deep within volcanoes is more than molten rock. It is a thick mixture of melted rock and solid mineral crystals
When we think of a volcanic eruption, rivers of glowing lava or giant columns of ash come to mind. But beneath Earth's surface, a more complex story is unfolding. Magma deep within volcanoes is more than molten rock.
It is a thick mixture of melted rock and solid mineral crystals known as "magma mush". To picture it, imagine a semi-frozen granita: a slushy blend of solid ice crystals suspended in sweet liquid syrup.
Related stories

The 40 minutes when the Artemis crew loses contact with the Earth
As the astronauts pass behind the Moon they will experience a moment of silence and solitude as communication with the Earth is blocked.
feeds.bbci.co.uk ·
1.7-billion-year-old fossils reveal a crucial clue to the rise of complex life
Scientists studying ancient Australian rocks uncovered more than 12,000 fossils from some of the oldest known eukaryotes on Earth. These early complex cells lived in settings ranging from coastal mudflats to the open sea, but only where oxygen was available. Oxygen-free environme
All Top News -- ScienceDaily ·

A real-time look inside spacecraft heat shields during extreme heat conditions
When a spacecraft reenters Earth's atmosphere at hypersonic velocities, its protective heat shield faces extreme conditions, including temperatures beyond 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit (1,650 degrees Celsius). To survive, the shield relies on specialized materials that absorb heat as
Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories ·
Earth is tearing apart beneath the Pacific Northwest
Scientists have captured a subduction zone off Vancouver Island in the process of tearing itself apart, revealing that these massive tectonic systems may die piece by piece rather than all at once. The discovery could help explain ancient plate fragments, volcanic activity, and h
All Top News -- ScienceDaily ·

BBC Inside Science
How do we measure time accurately and why is the rotation of the Earth causing problems?
feeds.bbci.co.uk ·