Lava Blocks the Size of Buildings Falling from La Palma Volcano

The Cumbre Vieja volcano continues to erupt on the Canary Island of La Palma, as seen from Tajuya, Spain, October 10, 2021. (Reuters)
The Cumbre Vieja volcano continues to erupt on the Canary Island of La Palma, as seen from Tajuya, Spain, October 10, 2021. (Reuters)
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Lava Blocks the Size of Buildings Falling from La Palma Volcano

The Cumbre Vieja volcano continues to erupt on the Canary Island of La Palma, as seen from Tajuya, Spain, October 10, 2021. (Reuters)
The Cumbre Vieja volcano continues to erupt on the Canary Island of La Palma, as seen from Tajuya, Spain, October 10, 2021. (Reuters)

Blocks of molten lava as large as three-storey buildings rolled down a hillside on the Spanish island of La Palma while a series of tremors shook the ground on Sunday three weeks after the volcanic eruption.

There were 21 seismic movements on Sunday, with the largest measuring 3.8, the Spanish National Geological Institute (ING) said, shaking the ground in the villages of Mazo, Fuencaliente and El Paso.

The blocks of red-hot magma flowed down the side of the Cumbre Vieja volcano were the size of three-storey buildings, the Spanish Institute of Geology and Mining said on Sunday.

The lava flow, with temperatures of up to 1,240 degrees Celsius (2,264 degrees Fahrenheit), destroyed the last few buildings that remained standing in the village of Todoque, the Canary Islands Volcanology Institute said on Twitter.

There was a partial cone collapse near the volcano's emission vent on Saturday, Stavros Meletlidis, a spokesman for ING told Reuters.

"The collapse of the northern flank of the Cumbre Vieja volcano has caused the release of large blocks of material and the appearance of new flows that run through areas already evacuated," tweeted Spain's National Security Department.

"The lava has reached the Camino de la Gata industrial estate and new buildings."

Rivers of lava have destroyed 1,186 buildings since the eruption on Sept. 19, the Canary Islands Volcanic Institute said.

Lava has engulfed 493 hectares (1,218 acres) of land, said Miguel Ángel Morcuende, technical director of the Canary Islands Volcanic Emergency Plan (Pevolca) organization.

About 6,000 people have been evacuated from their homes on La Palma, which has about 83,000 inhabitants.

Lightning was seen near the eruption early on Saturday. A study published in 2016 by the journal Geophysical Research Letters found lightning can be produced during volcanic eruptions because the collision of ash particles creates an electrical charge.



Saudi KAUST Researchers Develop Lithium-Metal Battery

Saudi KAUST Researchers Develop Lithium-Metal Battery
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Saudi KAUST Researchers Develop Lithium-Metal Battery

Saudi KAUST Researchers Develop Lithium-Metal Battery

Scientists at Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), in collaboration with their counterparts at King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), have made a breakthrough that could increase the power and lower the cost of lithium-metal batteries by incorporating nylon into the design.

In a statement on Sunday, KAUST said the study highlights the advantages of lithium metal batteries, known for their high energy density and lightweight properties, over conventional lithium-ion batteries.

While lithium-ion batteries remain the industry standard, lithium-metal batteries offer superior performance, making them ideal for applications in robotics, transportation, and consumer electronics. However, current production methods rely on hazardous and corrosive chemicals that compromise efficiency and safety.

Head of the KAUST Center of Excellence for Renewable Energy and Storage Technologies Professor Husam Alshareef said: “My research team is dedicated to building renewable energy and storage solutions such as higher energy density and safer batteries to accelerate decarbonization adoption in the Kingdom. This was a discovery that promises cheaper and safer additives and demonstrates the benefits of basic scientific research.”