Original version

BBC World Service West and Central Africa Schedule

BBC World Service West and Central Africa

Science in Action

Science In Action

Factual: Science & Nature

Factual: Science & Nature: Science & Technology

The BBC brings you all the week's science news.

BBC World Service Australasia

BBC World Service schedule for American satellite radio and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean

BBC World Service

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa Schedule

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa

BBC World Service South Asia

BBC World Service News Internet

BBC World Service Online

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

BBC World Service East Asia

Science In Action: Nyiragongo eruption

Magazines & Reviews

GettyImages-1233052214_crop.jpg

27/05/2021 GMT

Nyiragongo eruption

BBC World Service - Science In Action, Nyiragongo eruption

Understanding the world’s "most dangerous volcano"

The latest Nyiragongo eruption was not entirely unexpected,  the volcano’s lava lake inside the crater had been building up for years. Local volcanologists say it was only a matter of time before an eruption occurred. The big concern was where the flank of the volcano would be breached as the city of Goma rests under the volcano and there are potential fissures even within the town. 
However there are still questions over the effectiveness of seismic monitoring in the area, North Kivu. The Goma observatory has been unable to carry out this work due to a lack of funding. And monitoring is further  complicated by the region’s long running civil war, with rebel groups often camped around the volcano.
We hear from Dario Tadesco and Cindy Ebinger. Who have both been monitoring developments. 

Cyclone Yass was the second Cyclone to hit India within a week. Are these events becoming more common and are they related to rises in global temperatures? Climatologist Roxy Koll has been monitoring the situation. 

Greenland’s pristine glaciers might not be so pristine. Jemma Wadham from Bristol university and her team have found unexpectedly high levels of Mercury in meltwaters -  similar to those from industrial pollution. They say research now needs to focus on the impact for wildlife and people in the Arctic region. 

And the elusive Sowerby’s beaked Whale doesn’t travel very much despite pockets of the species being found across the Atlantic.  Kerri Smith has been researching this species, which is rarely seen alive. Using samples from whales beached or caught accidentally she was able to build up a picture of their distribution. 

Presenter: Roland Pease
Producer: Julian Siddle

(Photo: Nyiragongo  volcano erupting. Credit: Getty images)

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Science In Action

Nyiragongo eruption

Genres

Formats

Brand

BBC World Service West and Central Africa

About BBC World Service