Ice and Flame: Scientists captured stunning footage of molten lava seeping through the snow (video).

An astonishing video was recorded by Jeroen Van Nieuwenhove during the eruption of the Sundhnukur volcano in February 2024. It is known that a surge of volcanic activity was linked to larger eruptions of the volcano between 2023 and 2024 — the underground tremors were so powerful that they destroyed buildings in the fishing town of Grindavik, according to IFLScience.

The video creator shared the footage on social media, where it quickly went viral. Some users speculated that the video might have been generated by artificial intelligence, but scientists confirmed that the footage is authentic.

The clips captured by the researcher show the encounter between lava and snow, as the molten rock from the Icelandic volcano flows across the snow-covered landscape. The video creator asserts that the footage was not edited with artificial intelligence and was also not sped up.

One of the main arguments from skeptics was that snow does not produce any steam when it comes into contact with molten lava. To shed light on this mystery, the video creator consulted researchers for an explanation.

According to scientists, the absence of steam may actually be related to the Leidenfrost effect. This phenomenon, first described in the 18th century, explains how a liquid, when near a significantly hotter object, can create an insulating layer of vapor that prevents it from boiling rapidly. Instead of producing steam, the gas formed holds droplets suspended above the hot surface.

Furthermore, scientists believe that part of this mystery can be explained by the peculiar physical properties of lava. According to the study's author, Van Nieuwenhove, he has been documenting the ongoing series of eruptions in Iceland for the past four years and found that most people misunderstand how lava is supposed to "behave."

He also noted that people are often surprised by how lava looks, how it flows, how it sounds, and how it interacts with the environment. Overall, scientists agree that lava is a fascinating substance, and in the video, it appears quite unrealistic.