Watch the fascinating birth of a new island in Tonga

Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai was only predicted to last a few months. But now it could be here for much longer.
 By 
Johnny Lieu
 on 
Watch the fascinating birth of a new island in Tonga
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In December 2014, an underwater volcano erupted in the South Pacific kingdom of Tonga, leading to the creation of a new island called Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai -- and the whole thing's been caught on camera.

The new island was only predicted to last only few months, as it eroded quickly after its formation. That erosion began to subside six months in, and now NASA thinks the island will have a 6- to 30-year lifespan.

The creation of the island is also a source of curiosity for scientists working on Mars exploration, as detailed in this video by NASA. It's fascinating stuff.

Mashable Image
Johnny Lieu

Mashable Australia's Web Culture Reporter.Reach out to me on Twitter at @Johnny_Lieu or via email at jlieu [at] mashable.com


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