Golden, sharp strands of so-called goddess hair are covering parts of Hawaii's Big Island. But what are these potentially dangerous threads - called Pele's hair - and where did they come from? The mats of Pele's hair - a product of the ongoing eruption from Kilauea volcano - consist of thin glass fibers that form when gas bubbles within lava burst at the lava's surface. In previous volcanic eruptions, Pele's hair has caused trouble for the many Hawaiians who collect rainwater for drinking water. These glass strands land in rainwater that falls on people's roofs and is then funneled into a catchment system. If the filters aren't fine enough to filter out the hair, then you can get hair in the water, which can harm anyone who drinks it.