An international team of 40 scientists and technical staff has embarked on a 54-day mission to study the impacts of Tonga's 2022 Hunga Volcano eruption.
The eruption, which produced an ash column reaching 58 km high, triggered a Pacific-wide tsunami, reshaped the seafloor, disrupted fisheries, and damaged undersea cables, cutting communications for thousands in Tonga for months.
The research involves partners from Tonga Geological Services, Fiji, New Zealand, Britain, and the United States. Over 120 scientific operations will be conducted around the submarine volcano, located 65 km northwest of Tonga's main island.
Associate Professor Rebecca Carey of the University of Tasmania, the voyage’s chief scientist, described the eruption site as a "ground zero" for understanding how deep-sea ecosystems recover from major natural disasters. She said the team would map the seafloor and sub-seafloor, extract sediment cores, survey marine life, and analyse environmental DNA from seawater to track recovery processes.
Scientists will also monitor volcanic plumes to detect potential ongoing underwater activity. The findings are expected to strengthen hazard assessments, improve risk models, and guide recovery planning.
The research aims to help Pacific Island nations manage disaster risk, protect fisheries, and safeguard food security, while also informing the installation of undersea communication backups to prepare for future volcanic events.
Iran said on Sunday (10 May) that it had sent its response to a U.S. proposal aimed at launching peace talks to end the war, as signs of tentative ...
Iran has sent its response to a U.S. proposal aimed at ending the war through mediator Pakistan, according to IRNA, as Qatar’s Prime Minister...
British paratroopers and military medics have been deployed to Tristan da Cunha after a suspected hantavirus case was confirmed, as first evacuatio...
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has cited Azerbaijan as an example of what he described as a sovereign foreign policy, recalling rem...
China’s exports grew faster than expected in April, as overseas buyers moved quickly to secure supplies a...
A towering lava fountain from Kilauea shot about 400 metres into the air late on Tuesday (11 March) on Hawaii Island, prompting temporary closures at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and part of a key highway as volcanic ash and debris fell over nearby areas.
Hawaii’s Kīlauea volcano is showing increased activity, with lava flowing from two summit craters and flames, smoke and ash rising from the caldera.
Lava fountains shot from Hawaii’s Kīlauea volcano from dawn to dusk on Saturday, with new footage showing intensifying activity at the north vent.
The Hayli Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia’s Afar region erupted on Sunday morning (23 November), covering nearby villages in ash.
Efforts to end the U.S.-Iran war appeared to stall as the two sides exchanged fire in and around the Strait of Hormuz. A reported CIA assessment suggested Tehran could withstand a U.S. naval blockade for months despite mounting sanctions and renewed Gulf attacks.
Russia is holding a significantly scaled-back Victory Day parade in Moscow on 9 May 2026, reflecting heightened security concerns and the ongoing war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year.
British paratroopers and military medics have been deployed to Tristan da Cunha after a suspected hantavirus case was confirmed, as first evacuation flights carrying passengers from the stricken MV Hondius cruise ship left Tenerife for Madrid and Paris.
Indonesian rescue teams have located two Singaporeans who went missing after Mount Dukono erupted on Friday (8 May) on the island of Halmahera, though authorities say it remains unclear whether they are alive.
The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified files on unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) on Friday (8 May), following an order from President Donald Trump. U.S. officials described as a push for “unprecedented transparency”.
A robotics startup says it has built an AI “brain” that can teach humanoid robots new physical skills in days rather than months, as the race to deploy human-shaped machines in factories and warehouses accelerates.
Apple and Meta have publicly opposed a Canadian bill they say could force technology companies to weaken encryption on devices and online services if it becomes law.
European Union countries and European Parliament lawmakers have agreed on a softened version of the bloc’s landmark artificial intelligence rules, including delayed implementation, in a move critics say reflects growing concessions to major technology firms.
Almaty is hosting GITEX AI Kazakhstan 2026 two-day event, drawing global tech firms and investors as Central Asia gains attention as a fast developing digital market. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev visited the GITEX AI Central Asia & Caucasus exhibition in Almaty on 4 May.
A humanoid robot called Sophia took an unusual place at the heart of a classical concert in Hong Kong on Wednesday (29 April), as she performed alongside a live orchestra for the first time.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment