Natural Disasters

Bone fractures suggest that structural damage killed the two Pompeii residents.

These Two Ancient Pompeii Victims Died in an Earthquake—Not a Volcanic Eruption

Archaeologists have found the bodies of two men who perished in the days before Mount Vesuvius erupted

A burnt landscape caused by wildfires near Entrance, Wild Hay area, Alberta, Canada on May 10, 2023.

Wildfires in Canada Burn Close to One Million Acres

The current fire season has been unusually devastating for this early in the year—and more hot, dry weather is on the way

The eruption of a volcano on Spain’s La Palma island took a toll on nearby fish.

The Gruesome Ways Volcanoes Kill Fish

Whether the eruption is underwater or on land, the creatures don’t have an easy time dealing with nature’s fury

The C.F. Curtis was one of three ships, all owned by Hines Lumber Company, that sank in 1914.

Two 100-Year-Old Shipwrecks Found in Lake Superior

Both vessels sank during a storm in November 1914—but a third is still missing

Saylor Flett, left, fans flames ignited by Jeff Greef. Air quality, weather and even bird migration affect when it’s safe to conduct a burn.

Planet Positive

Fighting Fire With Fire in California

How communities in the West are boldly setting property ablaze to reduce the impact of extreme wildfires

Untold tsunamis hit coastal communities before anyone logged them in written records. Paleotsunami researchers are on a quest to uncover these forgotten disasters.

These Tsunami Detectives Search for Ancient Disasters

The gigantic waves have been decimating coastlines since time immemorial. We ignore these prehistoric warnings at our own peril.

Dig Tsho, a glacial lake in Nepal that burst in August 1985

Fifteen Million People at Risk of Severe Floods From Melting Glaciers

Rising temperatures could worsen glacial lake outbursts, unleashing massive inland waves on downstream communities, a study finds

The damaged castle following the earthquakes on February 6

Earthquakes Damage 2,000-Year-Old Castle in Turkey

The 7.8-magnitude quake also harmed other historic structures throughout Turkey and Syria

Rescue workers and volunteers conduct search and rescue operations in the rubble of a collasped building in Diyarbakir, Turkey. 

7.8-Magnitude Earthquake Felt 'Like the Apocalypse' in Turkey and Syria

The death toll has risen to at least 3,000 following one of the largest quakes recorded in the region

Two cars lie in a sinkhole in suburban Los Angeles on January 10. The four passengers were taken to the hospital with minor injuries. 

California Reeling From Extreme Storms With Three More on the Way

The severe weather has caused flooding, landslides, evacuations and at least 18 deaths

The courtyard of the House of the Vettii in Pompeii

See the Lavish Pompeii Home Owned by Two Men Freed From Slavery

After two decades, the newly restored House of the Vettii is officially open to visitors

Volunteers and archaeologists dug a trench to reveal more about the mysterious wooden structure emerging from the sand.

Cool Finds

Hurricanes Reveal 19th-Century Shipwreck Hidden Beneath Florida Beach

After two recent storms, a mysterious structure began to emerge

The Grand Prismatic Spring inside Yellowstone National Park

A Surprising Amount of Magma Is Under Yellowstone’s Supervolcano

New research suggests more melted rock lies beneath the Yellowstone Caldera—but it’s still not likely to erupt anytime soon

An aerial photo taken at 7:15 a.m. Hawaii Standard Time on Monday shows the northeast rift zone eruption of Mauna Loa. 

Hawaii’s Mauna Loa Volcano Gushes Lava, Threatening Major Highway

The world’s largest active volcano is erupting for the first time since 1984

A red-eyed treefrog hangs on to a leaf in Costa Rica.

Why Frogs Survived the Asteroid That Wiped Out the Dinosaurs

Not too big, not too small—they were just the right size to live through Earth’s worst day

A house damaged by last week's earthquake.

What Made Indonesia’s Recent Earthquake So Deadly?

The 5.6-magnitude earthquake that rocked the island of Java last week has killed at least 321 people

The newly unearthed odeon in Crete

Cool Finds

Archaeologists Unearth 2,000-Year-Old Odeon in Crete

The dig at the remote site is the first in more than 50 years

One reader wonders: Have any Native American nations been governed by women? 

Have Women Ever Run a Native American Nation? And More Questions From Our Readers

You've got questions. We've got experts

Floods stranded people in Kogi, Nigeria, on October 6.

Nigeria Is Facing Its Worst Flooding in a Decade

The disaster has killed 603 people and displaced more than one million residents

Moai statues on Easter Island

Fire Irreversibly Damages Easter Island Statues

The isolated island is home to hundreds of the mysterious monuments

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