This Erupting Volcano Triggered A Miniature Tsunami

Italy is not known for massive, deadly eruptions (at least, not in modern times), but the Mediterranean nation hosts one of the most active volcanoes on Earth. Set on an island just north of Sicily, Stromboli has erupted regularly since 1932, and now its latest outburst has sent glowing lines of lava down into the sea and towering clouds of smoke and ash up into the sky. This eruption is significantly larger than normal (the lava streams are unusual), and caused a meter-and-a-half high tsunami that triggered alarms on the island but fortunately did no damage.

Equal parts beautiful and terrifying, volcanoes are among the world's most deadly-but-captivating features. Read on for more of the most famous...