Haroun Tazieff

Born in Warsaw on May 11, 1914 (sign of Taurus) Haroun Tazieff is a French geologist and volcanologist. Tazieff was a well-known cinematographer lava flows, volcanic eruptions and the destruction volcanoes cause. His has also authored many books on volcanoes that are still preferred reading by volcanologists. Tazieff received a degree in agronomy in 1938 and another degree in geology in 1944. He was appointed as a secretaire d'Etat in France in charge of preventing major risks to the public.
Tazieff's National Geographic film The Violent Earth documented expeditions to Mount Nyiragong in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1972 and Mount Etna Sicily in 1971. During these filming activities Tazieff attempted to descend into the active lava lakes and collect samples to study why volcanoes do what they do.
Tragedy stuck Tazieff in 1952 when he was filming the scaling of Marcel Loubens in the Pierre Saint Martin Abyss in Spain. The cable broke and Loubens feel over 80 meters. He died three days later, but his body could not be recovered until 1954.
Tazieff died on February 5, 1998 in Paris France. He is still listed as one of France's most notable citizens.