Earthquakes

Among the many downsides of natural gas extraction are the small earthquakes caused by injecting wastewater back into the earth. Above, an oil rig drills for natural gas through shale.

Time to Start Paying Attention to Fracking’s Earthquakes

With wastewater injection sparking swarms of small quakes, some states are taking notice of the danger

Damage from the 1964 Great Alaska Earthquake.

Since 1900, There Have Been Six Earthquakes Greater Than Magnitude 8 in Alaska

Alaska is no stranger to huge earthquakes

A view looking down Pine Street in the wake of the 1906 Earthquake.

What's Worse Than One, Big Earthquake? A String of Slightly Smaller Ones

Historical earthquake activity shows that California may not just be set for one big earthquake, but a cluster of smaller shakers

Water extracted from beneath California’s San Joaquin Valley keeps farm fields green. But it may also be affecting earthquakes in the region.

Pulling Water Out of the Ground May Lead to Quakes on the San Andreas Fault

Ground movements linked to water extraction may change stresses on the fault famously responsible for California earthquakes

A map of earthquake activity around the U.S. from 2009 to 2012. Black dots are earthquakes above magnitude 3.0, with bigger circles for bigger earthquakes.

Government Says Oil and Gas Development Have Raised Risk of Earthquakes in Oklahoma

Oklahoma's recent surge in earthquake activity due in part to wastewater injection

Bison

Bison Running Away From Earthquakes? Not So Fast

A video of bison running through Yellowstone sparked speculation that they were running away from an earthquake. They weren't

Noah's Ark on Mount Ararat, by Simon de Myle

Ten Ancient Stories and the Geological Events That May Have Inspired Them

If you dig deep enough, say scientists, you can find some truth to legends and creation stories

The projected tsunami propagation for last night's Chile earthquake.

It Is Now Technically Possible to Stop an Earthquake

Scientists have devised a way to reflect seismic waves

While LA Journalists Hid Under Desks, a Robot Wrote a Story About the Earthquake

Journalism robots might not be such a bad idea. Especially when you’re trying to stay safe after an earthquake.

The New Madrid seismic zone, in the center of the United States, is highlighted bright pink in this earthquake hazard map created by the U.S. Geological Survey in 2008, reflecting the increased likelihood that a strong earthquake could strike that region.

Large Earthquakes Still Possible in the Central United States

The region shook in 1811 and 1812, and scientists say it could happen again

The Tsunami House, on the northern end of Washington's Camano Island, is designed to withstand the impact of high-velocity wave walls with heights of up to eight feet.

This House is Built to Withstand the Force of a Tsunami

A clever idea to let water flow through a home may allow residents in Puget Sound to escape the fate that locals centuries ago could not

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

Paper conservator Bernard Colla treats a gouache from the Centre d‘Art collection.

Since the Haitian Earthquake Four Years Ago, Helping Hands Made a World of Difference

The Smithsonian's Under Secretary for History, Art & Culture reflects on the effort to recover Haiti's cultural heritage in the aftermath of the 2010 quake

Earthquake lights seen Tagish Lake, in the Yukon Territory, in 1972. Large orbs are visible in the foreground, while smaller ones (highlighted by arrows) are seen higher up.

Why Do Lights Sometimes Appear in the Sky During An Earthquake?

Scientists have a new hypothesis to explain the mysterious phenomenon—one that could allow the lights to serve as warning for an impeding quake

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How Do You Make a Building Invisible to an Earthquake?

Engineer William Parnell may have found a way to save at-risk cities from destruction

Lucy Jones is among the world's most influential seismologists—and perhaps the most recognizable.

Meet Lucy Jones, "the Earthquake Lady"

As part of her plan to prepare Americans for the next "big one," the seismologist tackles the dangerous phenomenon of denial

A 19th-century print of New Madrid earthquake chaos.

The Great Midwest Earthquake of 1811

Two hundred years ago, a series of powerful temblors devastated what is now Missouri. Could it happen again?

The 5.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Washington, D.C. on August 23 caused damage to the Washington Monument.

Scaling the Washington Monument

Mountaineering park ranger Brandon Latham talks about how engineers investigated the monument from hundreds of feet above the ground

The contiguous bedrock on the east coast allows energy to pass more efficiently and travel farther. That is why the earthquake on Tuesday was felt over such a broad geographic range.

Q&A: Smithsonian's Elizabeth Cottrell on the Virginia Earthquake

A Smithsonian geologist offers her expertise on the seismic event that shook much of the mid-Atlantic this week

A circa 1925 woodcut by Unpo Takashima depicts Tokyo's Ueno district ablaze. "Each new gust of wind," reported Joseph Dahlmann, a Jesuit priest who witnessed the calamity from a hilltop, "gave new impulse to the fury of the conflagration."

The Great Japan Earthquake of 1923

The powerful quake and ensuing tsunami that struck Yokohama and Tokyo traumatized a nation and unleashed historic consequences

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