After sprouting from the ocean in 1967, the volcanic island of Surtsey was swiftly declared off limits to the hoi polloi. Rather than letting tourists traipse around the virgin isle, scientists wanted to keep Surtsey free from human interference, so they could monitor the colonisation process of new land by plants and animals.The rocky outcrop, located 20 miles south of Iceland, has since revealed many natural secrets, prompting Unesco to declare it a World Heritage Site.
