Hot on the trail

Stuck for somewhere to go this summer? Switch discipline to vulcanology and head for the Caribbean. Several universities have recently announced that their researchers are heading there to examine volcanoes suddenly discovered to be in need of investigation before they erupt over the local communities.

The University of Luton, helped by the British Geological Survey, is embarking on a "tense" expedition to Montserrat to investigate an erupting volcano "on the brink of causing widespread destruction". And Southampton University has sent a batch of researchers off boating in the Caribbean - to investigate the ominous judders of a sub-sea volcano of course.