The Earth’s Lowest Land Volcano

At 48 meters below sea level, the Dallol Volcano is Earth's lowest land volcano, and its last recorded eruption was in 1926. Its craters contain hot springs that boast a whole range of otherworldly colors - including neon yellow - thanks to the hot magma bubbling below the surface. This magma heats the groundwater that flows into the area from the nearby highlands, and as the heated groundwater moves up towards the surface, it dissolves salt, sulphur, potash and other minerals and deposits them in the Dallol craters.

From “Why These Hot Springs are Neon Yellow” from Science Alert, 2014; Photo by Andrea Frazzetta (@andrea_frazzetta) for the New York Times

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