When volcanoes erupt, they also emit matter which cools to form shards of glass called Pele's Hair."Pele was the name of the goddess who was thought to live in Mauna Loa, and the shards are wispy and browny-gold in colour," says Dr Solana.Mauna Loa has erupted 33 times since 1843, the date of the first recorded eruption. On average, that it is one eruption every five and a half years.