Millions of people around the world live near one of the roughly 1,500 active volcanoes on Earth—from Italy’s Campi Flegrei to Indonesia’s Merapi to the United States’ Mount Rainier. While that may seem crazy to some, there's a myriad of reasons why people call these volcanic landscapes home.

Fertile soils frequently blanket their slopes thanks to the slow breakdown of ancient volcanic rocks, which releases a host of nutrients vital for healthy crops and vineyards that produce flavorful grapes. Volcanoes also have deep roots in the history of civilizations, leading to their starring role in the spirituality and mythos of many cultures. And they spark the imagination, drawing numerous visitors to their flanks who feed a profitable industry in