Forging Art from the Ferocity of Volcanoes | Benjamin Knock

Most people study nature from a safe distance.Benjamin Knock steps into it.As a volcanologist and artist, he collects seismic readings, magnetic surveys, and atmospheric data from active volcanic environments — sometimes during eruptions — and transforms that live scientific data into immersive visual and sonic works.In this episode, we explore how volcanic systems shape civilisation, how natural forces quietly influence human systems, and why extreme environments sharpen creative thinking. We discuss how live geophysical data becomes artistic language, why interdisciplinary practice is essential in a fragmented world, and how communication sits at the centre of both science and art.We also unpack the psychological pull of extreme landscapes, the role of obsession in sustaining long-term creative work, and what it means to translate planetary scale systems into human experience. This conversation sits at the intersection of volcanology, data translation, immersive art, and science communication — exploring how curiosity, discipline, and proximity to risk can shape a life’s work.If you’re interested in art and science, data visualisation, environmental systems, interdisciplinary creativity, or how research becomes expression, this episode is for you.Follow Benjamin Knock on Instagram: @k_n_o_c_k—Follow Future History on Instagram: @futurehistory.coFollow Wayne Lim on Instagram: @hausofwayneMade for Makers. Shop Future History Unofficial Goods: shop.futurehistory.co