Eruption of Parícutin Volcano

Shot by Dr. Fred Mason Bullard, then a Professor of Geology at the University of Texas at Austin, this footage captures an eruption of the Parícutin volcano in Mexico. First erupting in 1943, the volcano remained active for more than nine years, releasing ash, fume, and lava until 1952. Bullard—teaching a course at the National University of Mexico at the time of Parícutin’s birth—was among the first trained observers to visit the new and rapidly growing volcano. He returned to the site annually for the next seven years. Bullard’s spectacular moving image footage became widely known in academic circles and was also used in newsreels.