How long could I survive in lava?

You wouldn't survive, you would die almost immediately. The molten rock would engulf your body, melting you. Even if you had super heat-proof skin, the molten rock is incredibly viscous and would stick to you so you couldn't escape. It would be a grim death. read more

You probably couldn’t survive close to lava, let alone “in it”. The gasses are toxic and the heat it throws off is so intense that your lungs would probably seize before you could get close enough for it to touch your outer skin. read more

As reported in December, lava's high density and resistance to flow suggest a person would smack onto the surface of a lava pit rather than sinking into it. So, instead of dying like Gollum, who dove into a bubbling volcano in the book and film "Lord of the Rings: Return of the King," a simple physics analysis indicates you would stay buoyed on top. read more