Scientists just discovered a tiny signal that volcanoes send before they erupt

A new detection method called “Jerk” could dramatically improve how scientists forecast volcanic eruptions. By using a single broadband seismometer, the system can detect extremely subtle ground movements caused by magma pushing underground—often hours before an eruption begins. Tested for more than a decade at the Piton de la Fournaise volcano on La Réunion, the tool successfully predicted 92% of eruptions between 2014 and 2023, sometimes giving up to eight hours of warning.