Scientists have unlocked the eerie mystery behind Bolivia’s so-called ‘zombie’ volcano, which appears to be rising from the dead despite 250,000 years of silence.
Using seismic imaging, rock analysis, and advanced modelling, researchers from China, the UK, and the US discovered that fluid and gas movements—not magma—are driving the volcano’s strange, restless behaviour.
This underground activity causes the land at Uturuncu’s center to rise while surrounding areas sink, forming a bizarre ‘sombrero’ shape.
Fortunately, the team concluded that an eruption is unlikely any time soon. The breakthrough could help monitor other dormant volcanoes that show unsettling signs of life.