Volcanic eruptions are among the Earth s most powerful and destructive forces. Imagine hearing a volcano erupt thousands of miles away. Imagine looking through binoculars and seeing the top of a mountain collapse. Imagine discovering an ancient Roman city that had been buried in volcanic ash. Volcanoes are also creative forces. The Earth s first oceans and atmosphere formed from the gases given off by volcanoes. In turn, oceans and an atmosphere created the environment that made life possible on our planet. Volcanoes have also shaped the Earth s landscape. Many of our mountains, islands, and plains have been built by volcanic eruptions
