Did you know that the Hawaiian islands are the tops of some of the highest mountains on Earth? The islands are actually SHIELD (named that way for their immense dome-like shape) volcanos that formed approximately 80 million years ago. Unlike most volcanos that occur at the subduction zones of two colliding plates (based on the theory of plate-tectonics), Hawaii's volcanos were formed as the result of a HOTSPOT (a channel of magma emerging from the earth's mantle) in the ocean floor. As the Pacific plate moved over this magma plume, the islands formed as the lava built up over sea level and cooled. Hawaii is considered to be one of the greatest "natural laboratories" on the planet, famous for its wide range of eco-systems. On the big island of Hawaii, you can actually go skiing and surfing in the same day! Scientists are fascinated by Hawaii's isolation and the island's unique blend of species.

DID YOU KNOW:

• Hawaii was settled somewhere between 300-700 A.D.
• Was made a state of the U.S. in 1959
• The highest temperature recorded was 100° F in 1931!
• 75% of the islands total population live on the island of Oahu
• "Honolulu" in Hawaiian means "peaceful harbor"
• The youngest island in the chain is the underwater "island" of Lo'ihi, which is estimated to emerge as an island within the next 200,000 years.