Ordinary volcanoes are formed by a column of very hot molten rock, known as magma, rising to the earth’s surface from deep within the Earth’s core. This type of volcano usually erupts from the top of a cone-shaped mountain, such as the famous volcano, Vesuvius, near Naples in Italy. However, there is another kind of volcano, called a supervolcano. It is one of the most destructive forces in nature but also one of the least understood. One thing that is known, though, is that if a supervolcano occurs, it could lead to mass extinction of species, and one species in particular that will be under threat is the human race. So what is a supervolcano exactly, and how often do they occur? A supervolcano is basically a huge reservoir, or lake, of boiling magma that lies close to the Earth’s surface. They are found in six different regions of the planet. One of the most famous supervolcano regions is in Yellowstone Park in Wyoming, USA. This park is an area of outstanding natural beauty but it is also a sleeping giant that could wake up at any time. The last time the area erupted was more than 600,000 years ago and a new eruption is now overdue. When it does erupt - and one day it will - it will virtually destroy the USA. And the dust cloud it creates will block out the sun causing the Earth’s temperature to plummet, threatening the whole planet with mass extinction.

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