Podcast Summary

Un tema Al Día – Puerta al inframundo: viaje al interior del volcán de La Palma

Host: Juanlu Sánchez
Date: August 27, 2025
Main Guests: Antonio Martínez Ron (periodista científico), Octavio Fernández (jefe de espeleología), Paco Gobantes (biólogo y espeleólogo), Anna Miller (investigadora del CSIC)
Episode Theme:
Exploring the aftermath of the 2021 eruption of the volcano on La Palma, this episode offers a firsthand journey into the heart of the volcano—three years later—discovering the persistence of life in extreme, near-uninhabitable environments. The narrative flows from the scientific, risk-laden exploration inside “el tubo rojo” to the broader ecological and human story of resilience and adaptation.

Episode Overview

• A unique expedition: The episode recounts a scientific and near-mystical descent inside the recently formed lava tubes ("el tubo rojo") of the Tajogaite volcano, led by journalist Antonio Martínez Ron alongside scientists.
• Life after disaster: The team searches for biological life in the post-eruption landscape, discovering pioneering organisms and witnessing the initial stages of ecosystem recovery.
• Reflection on destruction and renewal: The narrative transitions from the harsh physical journey to larger themes about how life—animal, microbial, and human—reclaims and adapts to volcanic devastation.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Entering the Inframundo: Descent into El Tubo Rojo

[02:07-04:41]

• Expedition Setup: Antonio Martínez Ron joins Octavio Fernández, responsible for mapping the lava tube systems left by the eruption.
• The “tubo rojo” is the only tube cool enough to enter (others remain above 200ºC). Even here, temperatures fluctuate between 50-70ºC; walls can exceed 100ºC.
• Physical ordeal described:
  • Wearing protective gloves to avoid burns, the team can only proceed when temperatures allow.
  • A miscalculation leads them to a suffocating, stifling section:
    • “Lo que viene a continuación son los 60 segundos más largos de mi vida.” — Antonio Martínez Ron [03:39]
  • The team retreats in panic, unable to breathe due to the intense heat:
    • “Me gusta pensar que es como estar en el interior de un air fryer.” — Antonio Martínez Ron [04:07]
  • Some escape with minor burns: a biologist’s beard is singed, a photographer’s gloves melt [05:59].

2. Why Risk It? The Hunt for Extremophiles

[06:24-07:17]

• The scientific goal is to find life where none should persist:
  • The “tubo rojo” is the first accessible site where extremophiles—newly discovered bacteria able to survive in such extreme conditions—are found.
  • Anna Miller’s team (CSIC) studies these organisms for insights into life’s possibilities elsewhere (e.g., Mars) and their biotechnological/pharmaceutical potential:
    • “...especies desconocidas para la ciencia...pueden ofrecernos tanto una visión de cómo podría ser la vida extrema en otros planetas...y pueden ofrecer...soluciones biotecnológicas...” — Antonio Martínez Ron [06:24]

3. The Return of Life: Pioneer Species

[07:17-09:44]

• Anna Miller notes how the eruption gives a “live” view of ecological succession.
• Moments of joy discovering life:
  • Finding a golden cricket in the wasteland sparks elation:
    • “Yo no me he puesto más contento en mi vida por ver un grillo.” — Antonio Martínez Ron [08:16]
  • Ladybugs and other insects are seen colonizing barren rocks despite toxic gases.
  • Two pigeons nest inside a volcanic vent that once poured lava on live TV:
    • “Esas palomas tienen un nido en su interior...donde salían millones de metros cúbicos de lava...” — Antonio Martínez Ron [09:13]
  • Key lesson: even amid total destruction, life quickly searches and finds footholds.

4. "Kipukas" – Islands of Life

[09:44-11:58]

• Interview with biologist Paco Gobantes at “Montaña Rajada”—the last surviving kipuka (“islote de vegetación”):
  • “No solamente es el vegetal en sí, sino toda la cohorte de organismos que viven con él...” — Paco Gobantes [09:44]
• Kipukas are green “islands” of pre-existing flora/fauna untouched by lava, now sources from which life recolonizes the destroyed landscape.
• The contrast is stark: lunar-like expanses of ash and lava encircle these pockets, highlighting both resilience and fragility of life.

5. Hazards, Human Presence, and Future Risks

[11:58-14:26]

• The environment remains hazardous: shifting rocks, toxic gas emissions, and thermal dangers.
• Anecdote: A tourist in shorts appears on the volcano rim—Octavio and the local civil guard are left exasperated at such recklessness:
  • “La gente está loca, ¿no?” — Antonio Martínez Ron [12:38]
  • “Muy loca.” — Octavio Fernández [12:39]
• Scientists lament inadequate enforcement of exclusion zones, fearing a future tragedy.
• The human cost is ever-present: half-buried houses, neighborhoods erased. Amid efforts to resume normality, the tension between geologists/scientists (who wish to conserve the new features) and local authorities/residents (hoping to rebuild) emerges.

6. Debate – Restoration, Conservation, and Memory

[14:26-15:19]

• Scientists urge caution: rebuilding on unstable lava tubes is dangerous—rigorous studies and careful management are vital.
• They propose creating a protected area, akin to Timanfaya National Park, with guided visits for economic and educational benefit, potentially compensating those who lost homes.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the heat inside the volcano:
  • “Me gusta pensar que es como estar en el interior de un air fryer.”
    — Antonio Martínez Ron [04:07]
• On the challenge and rush of survival:
  • “Lo que viene a continuación son los 60 segundos más largos de mi vida.”
    — Antonio Martínez Ron [03:39]
• On pure joy in finding life:
  • “Yo no me he puesto más contento en mi vida por ver un grillo.”
    — Antonio Martínez Ron [08:16]
• On the resilience of the ecosystem:
  • “No solamente es el vegetal en sí, sino toda la cohorte de organismos que viven con él...”
    — Paco Gobantes [09:44]
• On reckless risk and danger:
  • “La gente está loca, ¿no?” — Antonio Martínez Ron [12:38]
  • “Muy loca.” — Octavio Fernández [12:39]

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 00:32-02:07: Introduction & setup: the mission to enter the volcano
• 02:07-04:41: Entering the “tubo rojo”; the struggle with extreme heat
• 04:41-06:24: Aftermath of the excursion; physical and psychological toll
• 06:24-07:17: Scientific rationale: extremophiles and their significance
• 07:17-09:44: Signs of life: pioneer species and resilience
• 09:44-11:58: Exploring kipukas; the science of ecological recovery
• 11:58-14:26: Hazards, human behavior, and the risks of the exclusion zone
• 14:26-15:19: Conservation vs. reconstruction: proposals for the future

Closing Thoughts

This episode immerses listeners in both the literal and metaphorical underworld left by the eruption of La Palma’s volcano, offering an awe-inspiring account of risk, scientific discovery, and the indomitable force of life. The story transitions gracefully from harrowing personal experience to reflections on the broader persistence of ecosystems and the reconstructive efforts of the local population.

Listen for: visceral first-hand descriptions, honest portrayal of scientific exploration, the joy (and fragility) of encountering life where “none should be,” and thought-provoking commentary on the coexistence of destruction and renewal.