A supervolcano is rumbling in Naples

Campi Flegrei, a volcano that has long been dormant, could be heating up once again. Located near Naples, this super volcano made quite an impression back in the early 1500s — it erupted, and then continued to erupt for the better part of 8 days. That was only the most recent of many past eruptions, though, which date back thousands of years. In fact, the eruption that happened 35,000 years ago left a 7-mile-wide crater...and now researchers think Campi Flegrei may be gearing up for another super-eruption.

The supervolcano's history of massive eruption is particularly troublesome given its proximity to Naples, Italy, a city home to millions of people. Even if the super volcano were located in an isolated region, however, there's reason to believe a future eruption could have global effects — after all, this volcano once erupted severely enough to trigger an ice age.

According to a study recently published in Nature, researchers have been observing signs of 'potential reawakening' since the 1950s, with these signs coming in waves. Activity described as 'major unrest' was detected in the early 1980s, and then activity then again became prominent starting in 2005. Scientists have observed everything from hydrothermal degassing to ground uplift.

This reawakening has already caused thousands of earthquakes over the past few decades. Now the presence of magma has spurred concerns of growing unrest, though researchers can't say whether all of this will ultimately result in an eruption. However, researchers highlight a sense of urgency and need for careful monitoring given how many people are nearby and the troubles that presents for evacuations.

SOURCE: Nature