On the rim of a volcano, smoke rises, hot lava is visible and waves crash down below while local Hawaiians cast their voices in traditional chants, paying homage to the very force which created the islands.

Did you know vulcanology has nothing to do with Star Trek? Also spelled volcanology, it is the study of volcanoes, without which there would be no Hawaii as we know it today. “Each island is made up of at least one primary volcano, although many islands are composites of more than one. The Big Island, for instance, is constructed of 5 major volcanoes: Kilauea, Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea, Hualalai and Kohala. Mauna Loa is the largest active volcano on Earth. Kilauea is presently one of the most productive volcanoes on Earth (in terms of how much lava it erupts each year).”

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