Earth Magazine: Origin of Mysterious Basalt Pillars Revised

Alexandria, VA — A complex interaction between lava and water, rather than a fight between mythical troll-beasts of lore, is responsible for the occurrence of rare terrestrial basalt pillars. EARTH Magazine uncovers the truth behind the pillars in the February issue. Despite regional tales of a fight between a pair of angry trolls resulting in the moss-covered basalt pillars, geoscientists from the University at Buffalo have determined that the pillars formed during a rare, nonexplosive lava-water interface during the 1783 eruption at Laki. Find out more about these pillars at http://bit.ly/MRSVJF.

Also in this issue, read EARTH’s three-part feature series on the 2013 Colorado Front Range flooding and learn whether ancient mosquitoes also feasted on blood in the February 2014 edition of EARTH Magazine available on the digital bookstand, or by subscription.

Stay up to date with the latest happenings in Earth, energy and environment news with EARTH magazine at http://www.earthmagazine.org/. Published by the American Geosciences Institute, EARTH is your source for the science behind the headlines.