Origins Of Land: Earth In Motion The origin of the Japanese archipelago seems to be replicated in the volcanic island of Nishinoshima in the Pacific. Take a look at the stunning active eruptions at night, and follow the glowing flow of the solidifying lava in the darkness to see in real time how land is formed.
Origins Of Land: Part 2 Scientists have a small window to take a look at Nishinoshima, part of the Volcano Islands of Japan. Since 1974, the periodic eruptions have been forming land surfaces of cooling lava, which geologists study to uncover clues as to how the continents were formed billions of years ago.