The eruption also engulfed a small Maori village, Te Wairoa, in mud, ash and rock.

BBC: Lakeside treks in a geothermal land

The volcano strikes an ominous presence on the horizon - one of countless sleeping giants in Iceland that might one day stir, sending torrents of fire, rock and ash raining down.

BBC: An Icelandic journey to the centre of the earth

And the film's most deluxe monster is Kronos (father of Zeus, Hades and Poseidon), who, after being overthrown and imprisoned, has now risen up in the form of a really, really gigantic giant made entirely of volcanic rock and ash, with humungous arms that disintegrate and reconstitute themselves as they throw off fiery streams of lava.

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The flight bans came amid fears that the ash - a mixture of glass, sand and rock particles - can seriously damage aircraft engines.

BBC: EU emergency talks called on volcanic ash air chaos

Although barely visible in the air, the ash -- made up of tiny particles of rock, glass, and sand -- poses a serious threat to aircraft, stalling engines and causing electrical failure, experts have said this week.

CNN: Air travel paralyzed as volcanic ash cloud lingers

Currently, Spirit is examining a series of specimens that were perhaps formed when wind-borne volcanic ash fell to the ground, mixed with water and eventually formed into layered rock.

CNN: Mars rovers working overtime