Watch the fascinating birth of a new island in Tonga

In December 2014, an underwater volcano erupted in the South Pacific kingdom of Tonga, leading to the creation of a new island called Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai — and the whole thing's been caught on camera.

The new island was only predicted to last only few months, as it eroded quickly after its formation. That erosion began to subside six months in, and now NASA thinks the island will have a 6- to 30-year lifespan.

The creation of the island is also a source of curiosity for scientists working on Mars exploration, as detailed in this video by NASA. It's fascinating stuff. Read more...