The Earth’s Furies: Volcanic Eruptions

As if we don’t have enough to worry about, sometime in the next 10,000 years, planet Earth will witness a super-volcano that could very well end all life. Fortunately, the top 10 most likely volcanoes to become global murderers are under constant surveillance. But with Kilauea pouring lava over streets and homes on Hawaii’s Big Island, and memories lingering of Iceland’s catastrophic 2010 volcano putting the brakes on air travel, the documentary Volcanic Eruptions—an entry in the six-part The Earth’s Furies series—also serves as a reminder that we all live on a dynamic planet whose geological changes are far from finished. Directed by Franck Gombert, the film looks at the "Ring of Fire" that surrounds the Pacific Ocean with one long tunnel of magma, as well as famous eruptions in South America, Indonesia, and Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean. Besides telling viewers the difference between an "effusive" volcano (spewing lava) and one that blows up like a bomb, Volcanic Eruptions also features weirdly fascinating information about secondary effects of volcanic ash on jet engines and the bones of sheep. This offers a timely look at one of nature’s more catastrophic phenomena in an age of accelerated disasters due to climate change. Other titles in the series include Mega Fires and Tornadoes. Recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (T. Keogh)