Fears of planet-killing supervolcanoes premature, says ASU expert

More from this show

Headlines such as Uproxx’s, “Is The Yellowstone Supervolcano Really Going To Kill Us All?” are little more than sensationalizing scientific findings, according to one expert.

Christy Till, an assistant professor at Arizona State University’s School of Earth and Space Exploration, says the possibility of a volcano destroying life on earth is very small. “We don’t have strong evidence that’s ever happened in the past,” says Till, “and we don’t have reason to believe that’s going to happen anytime in the near future.”

Still, Till says one of the reasons she and her fellow scientists study super volcanoes is so we’ll be better able to predict if a super explosion is imminent.

Christy Till: Assistant Professor, Arizona State University's School of Earth and Space Exploration

Ted Simons, host and managing editor of

AZ Votes 2024 live election results

Carl the autistic raccoon and his friends
aired Nov. 14

PBS KIDS introduces new program, ‘Carl the Collector’

A graphic reading: Voter Ed: What happens to your ballot after it's cast?

What Happens to Your Ballot After It’s Cast?

A recreation of what Lucy, the first human fossil, may have looked like
aired Nov. 6

Lucy’s Lasting Legacy

Subscribe to Arizona PBS Newsletters

STAY in touch
with azpbs.org!

Subscribe to Arizona PBS Newsletters: