What Happens When You Fall Into a Volcano? The Science Behind the Danger.

We've all heard tales of distant tribes. They throw virgins into fiery volcanoes to please a fickle God. But what happens to that poor girl? As she falls, she faces her fiery doom.

Falling into a volcano is not going to be a pleasant fate for anyone, yet in 2007 a Maasai porter fell into the rim of an active volcano and managed to survive, albeit with some severe burns. Fortunately for that porter, the reason he survived is that the particular volcano he fell into has what's known as natrocarbonatite lava, which is rich in sodium and potassium carbonate minerals, and nyerereite, which is a unique combination that makes the Laval cool very quickly when coming in contact with air.

This Laval burns at around 510 degrees Celsius, or half the temperature of normal lava, and because the porter fell near the lava, and not directly on it, he was able to survive. But what happens when you fall in the volcano? First it's likely that as you falls through the air you'll quickly suffocate from the noxious gases produced by the volcano. If not immediately suffocated however you'll likely completely sear your lungs as you inhale the superheated gas amidst your desperate screaming.

With lungs burnt to a crisp and noxious gas coursing through your bloodstream, you will be near death already before even hitting the lava below. Depending on the type of volcano and the shape of the rim you are hurled into, your body will next likely burst into flames as you approache the lava, but before you physically hits it.

That's because radiant heat can superheat the air above and around the volcano mouth, making it reach temperatures so high that human flesh immediately ignites. Just seconds after being hurled into the mouth of a volcano, you have turned into a fiery human comet, though the worst is unfortunately still to come. Despite what you've seen in the movies, most lava is incredibly dense- anywhere from two to three times as dense as water.

This is after all, liquid rock we're talking about. That means that a human body is going to float on its surface, and because lava is also anywhere from thousands to millions of times more viscous than water, a human body impacting the surface is unlikely to deform it enough to sink beneath the surface. If you're miraculously still alive, is then going to impact the surface lava with so much force that you will break most bones in your body, and remain 'stuck' on the surface- although variations in lava and temperature across different volcanoes may possibly see you sink a few inches below.

If you hadn't burst into flames from the radiant heat during your fall, you certainly will now as you rests on the lava itself. With temperatures reaching up to 2200 degrees Fahrenheit (1204 Celsius), you will immediately burst into flames hot enough to reduce your body to ash within seconds.

For anyone hoping to recover any remains for a proper burial, there'll be nothing left but ash floating in the wind to collect. Any metal fillings, jewelry, or medical implants will also be incinerated- although a titanium medical implant may possibly survive, given titanium's melting point of 3,034 degrees Fahrenheit (1688 Celsius).

It's clear after our investigation that movies like Terminator 2 and Lord of the Rings lied to us. A fall into a fiery volcano won't mean a dramatic, emotional goodbye, but rather result in an instant fireball and a smattering of ashes moments later, with just your bones burning for a minute or so after that.

What other places, and what would they do to your body, would you like to know about? Share your opinions in the comments.