A volcano erased an islands plants. Their DNA revealed how life starts over

Volcanic eruptions on the remote island of Nishinoshima repeatedly wipe the land clean, giving scientists a rare chance to study lifes earliest stages. Researchers traced the genetic origins of an extinct purslane population to nearby Chichijima but found striking quirks-evidence of a founders effect and genetic drift. These discoveries shed light on how plants recolonize harsh environments and how ecosystems evolve from scratch.