Surtsey Island ("Surtur's island")

A volcanic island that formed off the coast of Iceland on November 14, 1963. Volcanic activity lasted until June 5, 1967. A classic site for the study of biocolonisation from founder populations that arrive from outside ('allochthonous'), Surtsey was declared a nature reserve in 1965 while the eruption was still in active progress. Today only a small number of scientists are permitted to land on Surtsey; the only way anyone else can see it closely is with a small plane