Mount Nantai is younger than it looks

Mount Nantai volcano activity surprises experts as it may have erupted just 7,000 years ago, redefining its status as active.

Written byErik Klemetti
| 1 min read
Google NewsGoogle News Preferred Source

Newsletter

Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news

Sign Up

It is always fun to me when we discover that a volcano long considered dormant or extinct has seen activity in the recent past. I bring this up because Mount Nantai in Japan, a volcano that was considered to have last erupted over 10,000 to 20,000 years ago (if not longer) looks to have actually erupted as recently as 7,000 years ago. This might not seem like a big different to some folks, but this definitely puts the volcano in the "active" category if this date turns out to be accurate. The volcano looks to have had a number of explosive ash and pumice eruptions along with some dacite lava flows, so it will fit in well with Japan's other 108 active volcanoes.

Meet the Author

Related Topics

Stay Curious

JoinOur List

Sign up for our weekly science updates

View our Privacy Policy

SubscribeTo The Magazine

Save up to 40% off the cover price when you subscribe to Discover magazine.

Subscribe