New! Sign up for our free email newsletter.
Reference Terms
from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mount Etna

Mount Etna is an active volcano on the east coast of Sicily, close to Messina and Catania. It is the largest active volcano in Europe, currently standing about 3,350 m (10,991 ft) high, though it should be noted that this varies with summit eruptions; the mountain is 21.6 m (71 ft) lower now than it was in 1865. It is the highest mountain in Italy south of the Alps. Etna covers an area of 1190 km² (460 square miles) with a basal circumference of 140 km. This makes it by far the largest of the three active volcanoes in Italy, being nearly three times the height of the next largest, Mount Vesuvius.

It is one of the most active volcanoes in the world and is in an almost constant state of eruption.

Related Stories
 


Earth & Climate News

October 21, 2026

Scientists have cracked a 178-year-old mystery surrounding a train delayed by a solar storm, revealing that the famous incident happened in 1848 rather than 1841. The discovery rewrites the early history of space weather and highlights a threat that ...
A new study reveals that improved hurricane forecast graphics may help people identify threatened areas without making them more likely to recognize the danger or take protective action. Researchers also found that a widespread misunderstanding of ...
A massive landslide in Alaska triggered the second-highest tsunami ever recorded, sending water and debris 1,580 feet up a mountainside just hours after tourists visited the area. Scientists discovered that the disaster was preceded by several ...
Scientists have discovered evidence of two hidden magma sources beneath Nicaragua’s Masaya volcano, where satellite observations revealed mysterious ground movements suggesting magma is shifting deep underground. The findings could improve ...
Scientists have discovered that severely bleached corals can make a remarkable comeback simply by touching healthy, genetically identical corals. In laboratory experiments, dying corals regained their color and fully recovered within seven weeks, ...
A catastrophic volcanic eruption 7,300 years ago devastated Japan, but new research reveals that its impact on prehistoric populations was far more complex than previously believed. While some ...
El Niño is fueling a dangerous cascade of wildfires across the tropics, with the Amazon rainforest now experiencing widespread burning and scientists warning that the worst may still be ahead. NASA researchers are uncovering dozens of previously ...
Scientists have discovered that some forest soils are becoming surprisingly better at removing methane from the atmosphere as temperatures rise and rainfall declines. A study spanning up to 24 years found methane absorption increasing by an average ...
Scientists have discovered a remarkable “Pac-Man enzyme” that helps bacteria devour certain types of plastic and may offer new hope in the fight against plastic pollution. Researchers found that ...
Antarctic sea ice reached its third-lowest winter maximum in 2026, extending a remarkable decline that began after years of record-breaking growth. Scientists are investigating whether the dramatic reversal signals a long-term shift in Antarctica's ...
Arctic sea ice is shrinking in both winter and summer, with satellite records revealing that the region's remaining ice is becoming thinner, younger, and more vulnerable to melting. Despite a recent slowdown in summer losses, scientists warn that ...
Scientists have discovered a potential new weapon against a devastating fungus that threatens rice, wheat, and barley worldwide. By engineering a special type of plant immune receptor, researchers ...

Latest Headlines

updated 12:56 pm ET