There is often method in madness, as a class of Taupo-nui-a-Tia College students learned this year.
The Year 10 students measured the temperature of the soil at a geothermal site at Crown Park multiple times throughout the school year.
Measurements were taken at different depths along a given line near fumole hot gas vents. One group also measured the carbon dioxide levels being emitted from fumoles.
The pupils presented their findings to geologists at GNS Science on Friday, along with corresponding graphs showing the air temperature and rainfall when measurements were taken.