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The Italian volcano is home to one of the most famous eruptions in human history.
In 79AD when it spewed lava so violently and at such a speed, the volcano completely consumed the local cities of Herculaneum and Pompeii, preserving the latter so that scientists were able to recreate the residents last moments.
Now, one of the most devastating creatures of the world has come to the fore.
Archaeologists at the Federico II University Hospital in Italy have conducted research into 12 sets of craniums which have been recovered from the Herculaneum site.
The team found on the skulls there was a strange, red and black mineral residue which came from inside.
Further analysis reveals the residue of iron oxides – a chemical reaction which occurs when blood boils.
Having discovered the possibility that the iron is coming from nearby, the researchers discovered something literally mind blowing.
When the volcano blasted lava towards the site at between 200 and 500 degrees Celsius, traveling at speeds between 100 and 300 kilometers per hour, the 300 people in the nearby camp would have died instantly.
The blood and brains of the victims would have been boiled in a moment, leading to a build up of steam in the skull.
The team writing in their papers published in PLOS One: "Here we show for the first time in the body of the body.
"Careful Inspection of the Victims", "Skeletons Revealed" and "Explosion of the Skullcap and Blackening of the Foreground"
"Such effects appear to be the result of direct exposure to heat and an increase in intracranial steam pressure by ebullition, with an explosion of the possible outcome."
Mount Vesuvius is still active today.
The volcano, located in Campagnia, last erupted in 1944 and usually has an eruption cycle of every 20 years.
It is the most densely populated volcanic region in the world, with three million people living in the nearby city of Naples.
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