Volcanic eruptions can be disastrous for those living nearby. Few volcanoes pose a greater threat than Popocatépetl, situated near Mexico City and Puebla, with combined populations in the tens of millions. To understand their activity and help minimise risk, such active volcanoes are constantly monitored and studied. Chiara Maria Petrone is a geochemist, petrologist and volcanologist at the Natural History Museum, London. She studies the composition of rocks from Popocatépetl and other volcanoes to understand the history of volcanic activity, helping to improve predictions of eruptions.
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