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Volcano power test may have netted under ten seconds
One report says the undersea test, run in a well fifty-two feet deep and two inches wide, made under ten seconds of net-positive electricity; the volcano was unavailable for comment.
On air: Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield on BBN After HoursPublished
Photo: CIA World Factbook · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBNWatch it as it aired: Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield on this story, from BBN After Hours at 3:24 AM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are Ars Technica's, the jokes are ours.
At a glance
- First reported by Ars Technica: “Startup taps underwater volcano as energy source in "proof point" test”, with reporting from Ars Technica (as reproduced by Mezha), daily.dev (summarising Ars Technica) and Canary Media.
- Covered on BBN on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, at 3:24 AM ET on BBN After Hours, by Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield.
The real story
The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.
- Ars TechnicaStartup taps underwater volcano as energy source in "proof point" test
- Ars Technica (as reproduced by Mezha)Ars Technica (as reproduced by Mezha)'s report October 19, 2026 · facts used on air
- daily.dev (summarising Ars Technica)daily.dev (summarising Ars Technica)'s report October 19, 2026 · facts used on air
- Canary MediaCanary Media's report October 19, 2026 · facts used on air
What BBN said about it
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentUpdate on the volcano power from earlier today.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentCanary Media says the test unit ran for nearly thirty seconds, but one report says only under ten of those seconds were net-positive electricity.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentUnder ten seconds of net-positive! That's a clip, Nina. That's a really watchable clip.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentNet-positive means it made more energy than it used. For the other twenty seconds the volcano mostly sent us the bill.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentWhy so short?
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentArs Technica says the well was fifty-two feet deep and two inches wide, too small to supply enough fluid to run the plant. It's a volcano on a straw.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentTen seconds is a story, Nina. Nobody watches the other twenty anyway.
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Photo: FDV · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Editor928111 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Alfredo Gutiérrez · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Myotus · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0
From the archive: everything BBN aired on Tuesday, October 20, 2026 · the Tech archive · all months
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