Stand at the edge of the Pacific Ring of Fire, where rivers of glowing lava reshape entire islands and volcanic soil grows some of the richest farmland on Earth.
Some volcanoes are so flat and wide they're called shield volcanoes, built from runny lava that spreads out instead of piling up steeply.
About 75% of the world's active volcanoes sit along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a horseshoe-shaped chain circling the Pacific Ocean.
Runny, low-viscosity lava can flow more than 60 kilometers per hour down a steep slope — faster than most people can run.
The Galápagos Islands were formed entirely by volcanic eruptions, and some of their volcanoes are still active today.
Volcanic ash breaks down into extremely fertile soil, which is why so many farming regions exist near active volcanoes despite the risk.
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