Volcanic rocks are igneous rocks that solidify from lava or pyroclastic material at or near Earth’s surface, and they are central topics in petrology, volcanology, and tectonics. They are typically fine-grained or glassy due to rapid cooling and include compositions ranging from ultramafic to felsic (e.g., basalt, andesite, rhyolite). Research on volcanic rocks addresses melt generation in the mantle and crust, magma ascent and degassing, eruption dynamics, and post-eruptive alteration. Their mineralogy, geochemistry, and isotopic signatures are used to reconstruct magma sources, differentiation processes, and tectonic settings such as mid-ocean ridges, subduction zones, and intraplate hotspots.
NASA's Juno mission has provided the first measurements of the temperature below the surface of Jupiter's moon Io, revealing significant heating within the shallow subsurface of the most volcanically active world in the solar ...
Planetary Sciences
15 hours ago
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Geologists studying some of the planet's oldest volcanic rocks have uncovered new evidence that water was playing a major role in shaping Earth's interior and driving volcanic activity more than 3 billion years ago.
Earth Sciences
Jul 7, 2026
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81
Researchers from the University of Oxford have uncovered evidence that Mars once hosted enormous, Earth-like magmatic systems deep beneath its surface—despite the planet lacking the plate tectonics long thought necessary ...
Astrobiology
Jun 26, 2026
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109
In the Pilbara of Western Australia, some of Earth's oldest rocks lie beneath the sky, as they have for billions of years. They are dark, weathered volcanic rocks, close to 3.5 billion years old, cut by veins and stewed by ...
Earth Sciences
Jun 24, 2026
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14
We're used to a lot of different natural things falling out of the sky. These can include snow, rain and sometimes even frogs (yes, really). All of these relate to weather phenomena.
Planetary Sciences
Jun 10, 2026
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Noticeable change on Mars often takes millions of years—but the European Space Agency's Mars Express has captured a blanket of dark ash creeping across the planet in just decades.
Astronomy
Apr 15, 2026
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36
For the first time in Brazil, researchers have identified a field of tektites. These are natural glasses formed by the high-energy impact of extraterrestrial bodies against Earth's surface. These structures, named geraisites ...
Planetary Sciences
Feb 20, 2026
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86
Volcanic eruptions are significant geologic hazards. Underwater volcanoes are challenging to study, yet they play an integral role in marine geology and may cause destructive tsunamis that can threaten coastal communities.
Earth Sciences
Feb 20, 2026
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118
New findings from NASA's Perseverance rover have revealed evidence of wave-formed beaches and rocks altered by subsurface water in a Martian crater that once held a vast lake—considerably expanding the timeline for potential ...
Astrobiology
Jan 27, 2026
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240
In a science lab on the fourth floor of UTSA's Multidisciplinary Studies Building, UTSA students engage in meticulous choreography around a glowing furnace, melting rocks to produce lava.
Planetary Sciences
Sep 24, 2025
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