Born out of fire: on September 19, 2021, a new crater opens up on the Atlantic island of La Palma. Nobody suspects that it will be the largest and incredibly destructive volcanic eruption in Europe for five centuries - a rare chance for scientists to watch evolution at work. ARTE exclusively accompanies the scientific work on the volcano from the first day of the eruption. For almost three months, the volcano hurls gigantic chunks of pyroclastic material, lava and ash out of itself. At times, several rivers of lava are pushed down the mountain flank at a speed of 120 meters per hour. Anything in their way is destroyed and buried under a layer of lava up to 60 meters high.