Scientists have discovered an enormous body of magma deep beneath Tuscany, even though the region shows few of the surface clues typically associated with such systems. Using a seismic imaging method called ambient noise tomography, researchers detected approximately 6,000 km3 of volcanic fluids buried 8 to 15 km below the surface. Using Earth's Background Noise as an Underground X-rayThe team located the magma through ambient noise tomography, a technique commonly used by seismologists to examine structures hidden below the surface. By identifying areas where the waves moved at lower velocities, the researchers were able to pinpoint the likely location of magma. Because ambient noise tomography can survey large underground regions relatively quickly and inexpensively, it may provide a useful way to search for geothermal energy and mineral resources.