--- title: "Scientists Issue Friendly Reminder That Beloved Tourist Island Is a Live Volcano" description: "Santorini is known as one of the most beautiful islands in the world — and the volcano that created it is far from dead, scientists warn." date: "2023-04-29" modified: "2023-04-29" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/santorini-live-volcano" categories: - "Science & Energy" tags: - "the digest" - "tourism" - "volcanic activity" - "volcanoes" --- # Scientists Issue Friendly Reminder That Beloved Tourist Island Is a Live Volcano ![Santorini is known as one of the most beautiful islands in the world — and the volcano that created it is far from dead, scientists warn.]() *\Image: Getty Images\* ## Ancient History Known as one of Greece's most famous tourist destination islands, Santorini's unique beauty was, as many know, the result of the eruption of an ancient volcano — one that is still alive to this day, as scientists remind us. In a [*CNN* profile](), scientists studying the volcano noted that although it hasn't erupted for hundreds of years, it is by no means dead. "If we start seeing increased activity in Kolumbo then we need to be alert," Tim Druitt, volcanologist and expedition co-chief of the deep drilling research vessel JOIDES Resolution, which visited Santorini for the first time late last year, told *CNN*. Capable of drilling up to 26,000 feet below the surface of the Aegean Sea, the researchers collected sediments that hadn't yet been uncovered as they attempted to scientifically piece together the region's storied volcanic history. Another eruption could prove catastrophic. During the Bronze Age, the volcano's eruption [wiped out an entire civilization]() while forming Santorini's one-of-a-kind, semi-submerged caldera. ## Out of This World The JOIDES expedition, *CNN* notes, is far from the first time Kolumbo's been probed by scientists. Oceanographer and Santorini native Evi Nomikou told *CNN* that she has taken part in every expedition to the underwater volcano for the past 20 years, and the results have been striking. Specifically, the University of Athens researcher said that a [groundbreaking NASA probe in 2019]() led to the discovery of "an extra-terrestrial ocean with life forms that can be found on other planets." As fascinating as the entire thing is, the concept of one of the world's most popular tourist destinations sitting atop a live volcano is a pretty freaky one to consider. Fortunately, volcanoes move slowly, and when and if Kolumbo prepares to erupt again, scientists will likely know about it in advance. "The good news is that volcanoes do give plenty of warning," Druitt told *CNN*. **More on volcanoes:** [*Astronomers Spot Volcano Erupting on a Distant Comet*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()