Natural Disasters
California's Not the Only Place With a Drought, and Haitians are Faring Much, Much Worse
A string of disasters has made it hard for Haitians to weather the ongoing drought
Flooding in the UK Causing Travel Nightmares
Last week, the seawall holding up part of a key railway line went down
20 Years Ago Today, the Northridge Earthquake Rocked L.A.
Sixty people died and thousands were left homeless in one of the most deadly earthquakes in American history
Plutonium From Nuclear Tests Lingers in the Atmosphere
Don’t worry, scientists say that it’s not a threat to human health but instead could be a marker of how air circulates
Scientists Successfully Forecasted the Size and Location of an Earthquake
Well before Costa Rica shook in a magnitude 7.6 quake in September 2012, geoscientists forecasted that the region was due for a magnitude 7.7 to 7.8 quake
This Past November Was the Hottest November Ever Recorded
In the 134-year observational record, we've never had a hotter November
Fault That Caused Japan's 2011 Earthquake Is Thin and Slippery
A group of scientists drilled miles beneath the Pacific Ocean, uncovering conditions that made the Tohoku-Oki earthquake and tsunami so devastating
Hotspots of Deforestation Revealed in New Maps
New maps of global forest loss find that while Brazil is decreasing its rate of deforestation, many other nations are rapidly losing forest cover
Your Smartphone Could Someday Warn You That Earthquake Waves Are About to Hit
The accelerometer chip in iPhones can detect seismic movement and may even provide a few seconds of warning before the most violent shaking strikes
How the Insurance Industry Is Dealing With Climate Change
The rising chance of extreme weather is forcing insurance companies to adjust their models as they take on more risk
Warming, Rising Acidity and Pollution: Top Threats to the Ocean
Since the last World Oceans Day, we've documented trash in the deep sea, sea snails with acid-weakened shells, high ocean temperatures and more
Which Primate Is the Most Likely Source of the Next Pandemic?
To help anticipate the next outbreak of an emerging infectious disease, scientists scrutinize our closest relatives in the animal kingdom
The Colorado: America’s Most Endangered River
A new report points to drought, climate change and increased demand for water as the reasons the iconic river no longer reaches the sea
New Web Tool Helps Avoid Flooding by Finding the Best Spots to Build Wetlands
Specifically placed small wetlands can help capture watershed runoff, helping city planners to guard against flood disasters
Landslide “Quakes” Give Clues to the Location and Size of Debris Flows
Scientists can now quickly assess characteristics of a landslide soon after slopes fail, based on its seismic signature
A Plague of Locusts Descends Upon the Holy Land, Just in Time for Passover
Israel battles a swarm of millions of locusts that flew from Egypt that is giving rise to a host of ecological, political and agricultural issues
How Climate Change Affects the Smithsonian
Smithsonian Secretary Wayne Clough looks at how our scientists are studying our changing climate
Can We Ever Stop Worrying About Blackouts?
Only if utility companies are able to make their power grids smart enough to spot outages and "heal" themselves
Did the Pilgrims Really Land on Plymouth Rock and More Questisons From our Readers
Where do hurricanes start, the Big Bang, sea gulls and other answers from the Smithsonian’s experts
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