Our final approach to Mt. Yasur on the island of Tanna in Vanuatu was blessed by song from the men and women of the nearby village.

At the edge of the caldera, we watched as darkness fell and ash and molten lava rose from the depths of the earth.  Mt. Yasur is said to be a “male” volcano, and he is accompanied by two smaller “female” geothermal vents nearby.  Watch this stunning video by Richard Sidey and listen closely to the audio recording, made using both a Zoom H5 Recorder with an x-y microphone capsule and an Aquarian Audio H1A hydrophone buried in the ash.  Can you hear his heartbeat?

Video by Richard Sidey; Galaxiid

Audio recorded by Patrick Nason