Lava Academy by Lava Show
Lava Academy by Lava Show
Podcast Description
Welcome to Lava Academy, the official podcast from the team behind Lava Show in Iceland — the world’s only live Lava Show! Hosted by Ian McKinnon and Heiðar Ragnheiðarson. Each monthly episode dives into the explosive world of volcanoes. From Iceland’s fiery fissures to famous eruptions around the globe, we explore how volcanoes form, why they erupt, and what they mean for the people who live near them. With expert guests like geologists and volcanologists, Lava Academy blends science, storytelling, and first-hand experience. Whether you’re a curious traveler, a student of earth science, or just fascinated by molten rock, this show brings the power and mystery of volcanic activity straight to your ears. Get ready for lava facts, eruption myths, behind-the-scenes stories from Lava Show, and much more. Subscribe and join us each month as we journey into Earth’s most dynamic forces.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast focuses on the science and fascination of volcanoes, covering topics such as the formation of volcanoes, eruption styles, and the geological significance of Iceland. Example episodes include interviews with geologists discussing volcanic fundamentals and the unique geological activity of Iceland, as well as exploring lava types and myths surrounding eruptions.

Welcome to Lava Academy, the official podcast from the team behind Lava Show in Iceland — the world’s only live Lava Show! Hosted by Iain MacKinnon and Jon Heidar Ragnheidarson. Each monthly episode dives into the explosive world of volcanoes. From Iceland’s fiery fissures to famous eruptions around the globe, we explore how volcanoes form, why they erupt, and what they mean for the people who live near them. With expert guests like geologists and volcanologists, Lava Academy blends science, storytelling, and first-hand experience. Whether you’re a curious traveler, a student of earth science, or just fascinated by molten rock, this show brings the power and mystery of volcanic activity straight to your ears. Get ready for lava facts, eruption myths, behind-the-scenes stories from Lava Show, and much more. Subscribe and join us each month as we journey into Earth’s most dynamic forces.
Antarctica may appear frozen and still, but beneath its vast ice sheet lies one of Earth’s most remarkable volcanic regions.
In this episode of the Lava Academy Podcast, Iain MacKinnon and Ragnhildur Ágústsdóttir are joined by Ann-Sophie Bader, who divides her year between working at Lava Show in Vík and a remote tourism camp in Antarctica.
Ann-Sophie takes us beneath the ice to explore:
- The volcanic landscape hidden beneath West Antarctica
- How scientists find volcanoes buried under kilometres of ice
- Deception Island and the enormous eruption that created its flooded caldera
- Mount Erebus, the southernmost active volcano on Earth
- The rare, persistent lava lake inside Erebus
- Why its unusual phonolite lava behaves differently from Icelandic basalt
- How Erebus produces volcanic bombs and releases microscopic particles of gold
- The relationship between volcanic heat, moving glaciers and Antarctic ice loss
Ann-Sophie also shares what it is like to live and work at Union Glacier, surrounded by ice, mountains and one of the most remote environments on the planet.
From hidden volcanoes and gold-carrying gases to molten lava surviving in extreme cold, this episode reveals an Antarctic landscape far more dynamic than it first appears.
Lava Academy Podcast episodes mentioned
Discover more volcano stories through Lava Academy at https://www.lavashow.com/blog/lava-academy

Disclaimer
This podcast’s information is provided for general reference and was obtained from publicly accessible sources. The Podcast Collaborative neither produces nor verifies the content, accuracy, or suitability of this podcast. Views and opinions belong solely to the podcast creators and guests.
For a complete disclaimer, please see our Full Disclaimer on the archive page. The Podcast Collaborative bears no responsibility for the podcast’s themes, language, or overall content. Listener discretion is advised. Read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy for more details.