Surtsey, Iceland
A series of volcanic eruptions from 1963-1967 formed this very young island off the southern coast of Iceland.
Because the island immediately received protected status, scientists have been able to study development of plant and animal life free of human influences in this small, isolated area.
Watching the process of a new world form, scientists observed that the first seeds arrived via ocean currents. Molds, bacteria, and fungi appeared next, followed by the first vascular plant in 1965.
This unspoiled natural laboratory is now home to 89 species of birds and 335 species of invertebrates.