Scientists find shallow source of water for volcano’s hot springs

By Sid Perkins

Web edition: January 9, 2013

Enlarge

A lake sits in the crater of the Philippine’s Taal volcano. Scientists recently discovered that hot springs flowing into the lake come from a shallow source — the lake itself.

Credit: MatthieuG/Wikimedia Commons

For years, scientists had assumed that geysers and other types of hot springs spewed water that came from deep inside Earth. Now researchers working at a Philippine volcano have stumbled across an exception. Hot springs flowing into a lake in the volcano’s crater come from a shallow source — the lake itself. The new finding suggests there may be plenty of similar spots worldwide.

Visit the new Science News for Kids website and read the full story: Surprising hot springs