Imagine a volcano that hasn’t erupted in over 250,000 years—but still rumbles, breathes steam, and messes with the land around it.
Meet Uturuncu, Bolivia’s so-called “zombie volcano.”
But this mountain isn’t gearing up for a fiery comeback—at least not yet.
A recent study in PNAS revealed that Uturuncu’s spooky behavior isn’t from magma on the move.
Rather, a deep and complex system of hot fluids, gas, and briny steam bubbling through underground cracks.
What’s Happening?
“It looks like it’s calming down, if anything,” said Dr. Mike Kendall of Oxford University.
That’s a good thing—because real trouble usually shows up when seismic activity creeps closer to the surface.
Using radar data, seismic records, and chemistry sleuthing.
Researchers pieced together the volcano’s inner workings.
Their detective work even hinted at opportunities for tapping geothermal energy and precious metals.
“This isn’t just about eruptions,” said Dr. Benjamin Andrews from the Smithsonian.
“It’s about understanding what volcanoes are.”
So while Uturuncu may not be rising from the dead, its restless spirit is helping scientists decode the mysteries of Earth’s fiery underworld.
