Lava lakes are exactly what they sound like – craters full of lava connected to a volcano. There are 1,350 volcanoes in the world, but only 7 lava lakes… until earlier this year when an 8th was discovered. That expedition is documented in National Geographic’s latest special, Explorer: Lake of Fire, premiering Thursday, October 26th, at 10/9c on Nat Geo and streaming on Friday, October 27th, on both Disney+ and Hulu.
Volcanologist and National Geographic Explorer Dr. Emma Nicholson has been dreaming of exploring Mount Michael on Saunders Island since 2018, when satellite imagery captured a thermal anomaly on the volcano. Could this be another lava lake? If so, it could give scientists like her more data to study as they seek out ways to predict volcanic eruptions to help save lives.
Joining Dr. Nicholson on the expedition are filmmaker and National Geographic Photographer Renan Ozturk, lead climber Carla Pérez, professional mountain guide Freddie Wilkinson, volcanologist João Lages, and research scientist Kieran Wood. Located in the South Sandwich Islands, Saunders Island is inhabited only by penguins and seals. It’s not hospitable to humans, so sailing there is just one of many hurdles they will face on their journey to discover if Mount Michael holds a lava lake.
Like most of National Geographic’s specials, Explorer: Lake of Fire is full of jaw-dropping imagery. The cinematic contrast of fire and ice on this arctic volcano is stunning. And with such a difficult climb portrayed, it’s remarkable that the filmmakers came back with the footage they got.
(National Geographic/Ryan Valasek)
Explorer: Lake of Fire documents a perilous journey in the name of life-changing scientific research. An uninhabited volcanic island at the bottom of the world could help scientists like Dr. Emma Nicholson unlock the mysteries of volcanoes, helping humans in an ever-changing climate be able to predict when the next eruption will occur.
Don’t miss Explorer: Lake of Fire this Thursday, October 26th, at 10/9c on Nat Geo.
Stream the special beginning this Friday, October 27th, on both Disney+ and Hulu.