Predicting eruptions more accurately.

• Position: Volcanoes - Brief Article

Volcanic eruptions and earthquakes are two of the most destructive forces on Earth. While scientists can do little more than guess when an earthquake will strike, tremendous strides have been made in forecasting deadly volcanic explosions. In 1991, for example, volcanologists accurately predicted the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines, enabling the safe evacuation of tens of thousands of residents. The Pinatubo success came after an all-out emergency effort by Philippine and American scientists to monitor physical changes closely in and around the volcano. Today, many volcanologists are looking forward to the creation of a permanent, worldwide volcano early-warning network.

Advances in technology and communication could revolutionize the entire field of volcanology in the coming decade. "It's not so much that we expect one technical breakthrough," says Stanford (Calif.) University geophysicist Paul Segall. "There's a...