Hawaii’s Kīlauea Volcano Looks Like It’s Clearing Its Throat Ever since unexpectedly waking up in December 2020, lava has being oozing out of Kīlauea's summit at a breathtaking pace. But scientists, looking at the lava's chemistry, don't think this molten rock is actually new stuff, suggesting the volcano is recycling the remnants of its 2018 magnum opus.