Articles tagged as Natural Disasters

Aftermath of the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake.

There Hasn’t Been a Huge Earthquake on California’s Major Fault Lines in 100 Years

Major ground-rupturing quakes have not taken place along the faults since 1918, but that may mean the next century will be on shaky ground

April 8, 2019

Illustration of the GRAPES-3 Muon telescope in a lightning storm.

New Research

How Much Electricity Can Thunderstorms Produce?

Researchers used a cosmic ray detector to clock one storm in at a shocking 1.3 billion volts

March 25, 2019

The rare ephemeral lake was caused when the compacted, dry desert soil wasn’t able to absorb the .87 inches of rain that recently fell on the national park

March 13, 2019

First responders walk through a neighborhood in Beauregard, Alabama.

So far, 23 people are confirmed dead in Lee County, Alabama, after Sunday’s tornadoes

March 5, 2019

Plastic debris is providing a new vessel for potentially invasive species to cross large distances.

Sea Creatures Still Arriving in the U.S. on Plastic Debris From the Japanese Tsunami Eight Years Ago

Marine biologists don’t know how long different species can survive adrift in the open ocean, and some may become invasive when they reach new shores

February 26, 2019

A plume of sediment off the coast of Queensland after recent flooding.

A loophole in Australian federal law allows dredging spoils from port maintenance to be dumped in the marine park

February 25, 2019

New Research

Insects Are Dying Off at an Alarming Rate

Forty percent of insect populations have seen declines in recent years and will drop even more without immediate action

February 12, 2019

A collapsed dam left 200 people missing and at least 58 dead, officials say. Rescuers search using helicopters.

Mine waste and sludge have contaminated a huge stretch of the Paraopeba River

January 28, 2019

Four infected ponies were euthanized at the end of December

Swamp Cancer Kills Seven of Chincoteague’s Beloved Wild Ponies

The deadly infection leaves itchy lesions clustered across victims’ bodies

January 2, 2019

Radar images appear to show the southwestern flank of the Anak Krakaktau volcano sheared off into the sea

December 28, 2018

Cool Finds

Preserved Horse, Saddled, Harnessed and Ready to Flee, Found in Villa Outside Pompeii

Archaeologists found ornamental pieces of a harness and saddle, suggesting the horse was ready to ride when the volcano blew its top

December 27, 2018

Cars getting too close to the Fimmvörðuháls volcano in Iceland.

New Research

Tourists Are Getting Too Close to Volcanoes

Visitors to Iceland’s volcanoes are ignoring the rules, many to get the perfect selfie

December 21, 2018

Volcanic Lightning Could Help Geologists Monitor Eruptions

New study suggests spikes in lightning activity mark key changes during early stages of eruptions

December 12, 2018

Hurricane Harvey unexpectedly flooded large parts of Houston despite abating wind speeds.

How Satellites and Big Data Are Predicting the Behavior of Hurricanes and Other Natural Disasters

Leveraging machine learning could help diminish the damages of storms and wildfires

November 27, 2018

The museum featured replicas of a pioneer school, mining cabin, blacksmith's shop and more

Paradise’s Gold Nugget Museum Falls Victim to Camp Fire

The beloved local institution was founded in 1973 to commemorate the town’s prospecting past

November 20, 2018

To attract females, males release a series of mating calls

Hurricane Harvey Didn’t Stop These Fish From Mating

Spotted seatrout engaged in normal spawning patterns as the eye of the storm passed directly over their habitat

November 19, 2018

Cool Finds

This Remote Control Vest Trains Rescue Dogs Using Flashlights

By aiming little spots of light, handlers can direct their fearless doggos through disaster areas

November 6, 2018

During the summer, Mount Kilauea bombarded Hawaii's Big Island with lava bombs, volcanic ash and smog

These Are the United States’ 18 Most Dangerous Volcanoes

Hawaii’s Mount Kilauea, Washington’s Mount St. Helens top the list, which forecasts eruptions’ potential impact on people, property, infrastructure

October 29, 2018

The ponies of eastern Maryland and Virginia, seen here in 2002, were made famous in the book "Misty of Chincoteague."

American South

The True Story of Misty of Chincoteague, the Pony Who Stared Down a Devastating Nor’Easter

The Ash Wednesday Storm of 1962 was a horse of another color

October 16, 2018

Halema‘uma‘u aerial view on June 12, 2018

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park to Reopen Without Molten Lava or Lava Glow

The lava lake in the Halema‘uma‘u crater is gone and lava flows from Puʻu ʻŌʻō crater have stopped

September 21, 2018