You're taking a stroll when you stumble on a strange clump of hair. Most people wouldn't think much of it - but what if I told you this naturally forming mass of strings does not come from animals, plants or people! 😲 What could it be?
The first thing you should know is you'll only find this stuff if you're walking near volcanic activity. Hawaii is most famously known for these mysterious hairs. You can also find them in Nicaragua, Italy, Iceland, and Ethiopia.
The second fact is they can be dangerous to touch without gloves. Shards of this material can break off in your hand and embed themselves like glass splinters. Ouch!
Lastly, the most common name for the fibers is "Pele's hair," named after the Hawaiian goddess of volcanoes. Surprisingly, these straw colored strands are actually fine pieces of volcanic glass!
The process behind Pele's hair is pretty intriguing. Little bubbles of lava are ejected from volcanic vents. When the bubbles pop, the wind lengthens the lava into fine strings that can catch a ride kilometers away. Sometimes the glass strings are attached to larger bits of cooled lava, called "Pele's tears," but most of the time the string breaks off.
Pele's hair can accumulate all over the place if it's in the general vicinity of the active volcano. Residents of Hawaii can spot the fibrous glass clinging to radio antennas, tall trees, and telephone poles. Some have even seen birds making nests of the stuff!
Investigating dried lava got me thinking - which places in the world can I visit to find active volcanoes? Indonesia has a bunch, and so does Russia. But did you know that if you looked at erupting volcanoes over the last 12,000 years, the United States tops the list?! Check it out!
The next time you find yourself near any volcanic vents, keep your eyes peeled for Pele's hair - and think about all the processes that helped create it!
- Chris
