NASA’s satellites have tracked a ghost island in the Caspian Sea that appeared and vanished within a year, revealing nature’s surprises.
Baku: So, get this! In 2023, a little island popped up in the Caspian Sea, just off Azerbaijan’s coast. It was there for a hot minute and then poof, gone!
NASA was on it, tracking this ‘ghost’ island as it showed up and disappeared. At its biggest, it was about 400 meters wide. Can you believe that?
Turns out, this island was born from a mud volcano called the Kumani Bank. There are over 300 of these mud volcanoes in the area, and they can be pretty wild.
The Kumani Bank has been around since 1861, and it’s not the first time it’s made a temporary island. Back in May 1861, it created a smaller island that washed away a few months later.
And get this, the biggest eruption happened in 1950, making an island that was 700 meters wide! That’s a serious eruption.
Most of Azerbaijan’s mud volcanoes are actually on land, but this area is where two tectonic plates meet, which makes it a hot spot for these eruptions.
But be careful! Mud volcanoes can be dangerous, sometimes throwing debris and fire around. Nature sure knows how to keep us on our toes!
With files from April Walker. Header image: NASA
