The #VolcanoCup has now reached the Final stage and this is the last chance to show your support for Taupo Volcano. The competition is now global, explosive, entertaining, informative and hot. We are up against Indonesian volcanic heavyweight Krakatau, and this will be our toughest competition for sure. Remember, go to @janinekripper on Twitter to vote for Taupo and follow #volcanocup for even more volcanic goodness. You can also follow Taupo Volcano itself on Twitter - @TaupoCaldera – it’s usually got something fairly interesting to say!

So many interesting Taupo snippets have been tweeted during the #VolcanoCup by volcanologists who have studied its volcanic history, teach at Universities, along with those who monitor what it’s up to now.

Volcano Cup followers have learnt that Taupo has had two massive eruptions in the last 26,000 years, throwing ash, pumice and gassy magma over huge areas of the central North Island, leaving behind big holes where Lake Taupo now sits. Pumice blocks from the larger erupions are found on mountain tops, while ash layers from Taupo eruptions can even be spotted on the Chatham Islands!

We’ve also learnt that not all Taupo’s eruptions are huge, and there have been many smaller ones too. And that today the volcano still stirs in her sleep, with periods of volcanic unrest – earthquakes, ground movement and changes in geothermal activity.

But it’s not all scary stuff – Taupo is also a beautiful people-magnet and provides us with renewable geothermal energy.

And, of course GeoNet closely monitors the pulse of Taupo, with 7 seismographs, 6 continuous GPS stations and 22 lake levelling sites.

There have been lots of great tweets, ranging from very humorous to dry and factual.

Although we'd rather not, in the interests of fairness, a token paragraph about today’s competition: Indonesia’s Krakatau is famous in global volcanology due to its cataclysmic eruptions in 1883 and the new volcanic island that has been forming in the hole left behind since 1927. The 1883 eruptions are among the most violent volcanic events in recorded history, exploding out approximately 25 km3 of rock, creating tsunamis and leading to the loss of over 36,000 lives.

That is impressive, but it is still no Taupo. Taupo is more active, has had larger eruptions and is far prettier.

The #VolcanoCup is being run out the USA by a Kiwi volcanologist, so voting goes until 2am Saturday morning. So there is ample opportunity to spread the word at Friday night drinks, and impress your friends with your volcano knowledge!

The beautiful and powerful Taupo thanks you for your support!