homehome Home chatchat Notifications


Scientists Discover How Earthquakes Might Create Massive Gold Nuggets

Researchers suggest piezoelectricity during earthquakes could explain gold nugget accumulation in quartz veins.

Periodic San Andreas fault earthquake may still be imminent despite period of calm

Although the San Andreas fault hasn't been behaving as usual, it's best not to get complacent.

How do tsunamis form?

Most waves form due to winds or tides, but tsunamis have a different cause altogether.

The Thickest Layer of the Earth: The Mantle

The mantle is a whopping 2,900 km (1,802 miles) thick, and it's by far the thickest layer of the Earth.

The biggest tsunami ever recorded: Taller than 500 meters

Imagine the biggest wave you can imagine. Now make it bigger.

The San Andreas fault -- what it is, why it matters, and what you should know about its earthquakes

Given the development of California and its proximity to the fault, San Andreas can cause huge problems in the not-too-distant future.

The largest earthquake in human history may have happened 3,800 years ago

The suspected 9.5 earthquake took place in Chile and would have created huge tsunamis.

Earth's inner core may actually be mushy

The planet's innermost layer is more like a soup than a brick.

Could fiber optic cables predict Iceland's next volcanic eruption?

Back in the day, fiber optic cables just mainly carried internet connection. That may soon change.

What causes earthquakes -- and what you should do if hit by one

The movement of tectonic plates can sometimes cause the surface of the plane to rumble. But there's more to it.

Google expands its earthquake detection system to Greece and New Zealand

It's only available for Android phones, though

Researchers detect a boomerang earthquake under the Atlantic Ocean

Earthquakes usually come and go, but sometimes, they come back.

The coronavirus-induced anthropause is now visible in seismic vibrations

Scientists have detected a decrease in vibrations caused by human activity.

Seismic waves reveal surprisingly widespread blobs near the Earth's core

Our planet’s core might be pockmarked with hot blobs. We don’t know what they are, we don’t know where they’re from, but according to a new study, they’re there. Ever stopped and wondered just how we know so much about the Earth’s interior? Since we’re kids, we’re told that the Earth has a crust, a […]

NASA presents first insights from Martian earthquakes

NASA InSight mission reveals tantalizing clues about Mars' subsurface.

The Earth was humming because a huge underwater volcano was forming

Buzzing temblors marked the formation of a supervolcano -- but there is no risk yet.

Hurricanes trigger 'stormquakes' on the bottom of the ocean

Hurricanes + earthquakes? Scientists have described a new geophysical phenomenon.

Ripping the desert apart: Stunning images show Ridgecrest earthquakes shattering the ground

These are among the best images of this kind.

Stunning animation shows how Marsquakes look like

Ever wanted to feel a marsquake?

Tides are turning in earthquake discoveries

It seems there was a connection between tides and earthquakes after all.

NASA detects first evidence of a Marsquake

The Mars InSight lander has sensed a quake within the planet.

New gravity earthquake detection method might buy more time for early warnings

This means a couple of extra seconds which could make all the difference in a life or death situation.

Mermaids offer a rare view of our oceans' subsurface

These are not your average mermaids, however.

The main types of seismic waves: P, S, and surface waves

Seismic waves can either be body waves or surface waves -- but the full story is far more complex.

Earth's inner core is solid, seismic waves reveal

It's amazing how we can learn things about the very depths of our planet.

AI can now predict where an earthquake's aftershock will hit next

Previously, researchers were able to predict when and how strong an aftershock will be. The new findings complement the big picture.

Scientists might soon be able to use underwater cables as seismometers

This could also be used to study ocean noise and sealife migration.

New study shows that Antarctica is seismically active -- we just haven't listened close enough

If you want to understand something, you need to study it closely.

Seismology could soon be used to protect elephants from poachers

It's an innovative idea that could one day be instrumental in protecting elephants.

NASA lander will study 'Marsquakes'

The quakes will help scientists learn more about Mars' interior.

Scientists find evidence of 1755 earthquake in pond sediment

It's like forensics, but for earthquakes.

Geologists listen to volcanic murmur to predict eruptions

Listen closely, and the volcano will share its secrets.

Earthquakes aren't affected by moon phases nor by time of year, new study demonstrates

It's finally time to put this myth to rest.

The Earth whispers in a low hum that's now been recorded for the 1st time underwater

This planet is restless to its core.

No, seismologists aren't really predicting dramatic earthquakes for 2018 -- it's a single hypothesis from one study, not a fact

When all we're after is catchy headlines, science often falls in the background.

New study confirms injections associated with oil and gas can cause earthquakes

A new study confirmed that oil and gas exploitation in the US can generate a surprising number of earthquakes.

New Zealand's earthquake pushes the sea floor 2 meters above ground

Fast geology.

Watch all the volcanoes and earthquakes since 1960 hit around the world in one app

A stunning app put together by Smithsonian's Global Volcanism Project.

Italian earthquake kills at least 20, destroys entire town

Authorities and locals are searching for survivors.

Fracking is indeed causing earthquakes, new research finds

A survey of a major oil and natural gas-producing region in Western Canada founds evidence that hydraulic fracturing or "fracking" does indeed cause earthquakes in the region.

Tsunami Warning Lifted After Magnitude 7.8 Quake Off Indonesia

Indonesian authorities lifted a tsunami warning issued after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck off the island of Sumatra – the largest earthquake since the 2004 disaster. “There is no info on casualties or damages yet,” Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman at the national disaster mitigation agency, said via text message. “The tsunami warning is based […]

Did North Korea actually test a bomb? Science actually has the answer

North Korea recently announced that it tested a massive H-bomb, one that's "capable of wiping out the entire United States".

Largest man-made Earthquake comes after fracking activity

A new unfortunate world record has been triggered by fracking

This glacier produces half a million ice quakes a year

Somewhere in the Arctic, in the interior of the Greenland ice sheets, there lies a glacier like no other. This glacier quakes once every minute, more frequently than ever observed. Geologists now believe that studying these ice quakes couldĀ help them better understand how ice melts and reacts to rising temperatures and better model ice flow. […]

Italy's earthquake scientists have finally been cleared

I’m happy to say that one of the most absurd events in modern science has finally concluded, and with a normal result. The Italian seismologists tried with manslaughter for not carrying a good enough risk analysis have been cleared – most of them, at least. The L’Aquila earthquake struck in central Italy on 6 April […]

8.3 Magnitude Earthquake strikes Chile

A massive 8.3 magnitude Earthquake struck the northern coast of Chile on Wednesday night, killing at least five people and causing buildings to sway in the capital city of Santiago. Following the earthquake, waves of up to 4.5 meters were reported in some areas of the coast. About one million people were evacuated.

Another strong earthquake hits Nepal, no casualties reported

It seems like the people of Nepal just can't catch a break - another large, 7.4 earthquake has struck, sending the people from the capital of Kathmandu running on the streets scared.

NASA saves 4 men trapped in rubble in Nepal by their heartbeats

A few years ago, NASA unveiled one of the most interesting technologies I've seen recently - a portable radar unit based on technology used to detect alien life on other planets. Now, the first time this technology has been used in the field, it managed to find 4 people buried under meters of rubble, by detecting their heartbeat.

Underwater volcano erupts off the coast of Oregon

An underwater volcano 300 miles off the coast of Oregon has awakened from its slumber and apears to spew out lava. There is no immediate danger, but geologists are excited to be able to study it in real time.

Smartphones used as sensors for earthquake early warnings

There's so much you can do with a smartphone today - much more than just browsing the web or social media. When you can combine them in a network, however, the possibilities might be endless. For instance, researchers at Caltech and the United States Geological Survey (USGS) are working on an earthquake early warning system based on the collective data fed in by thousands of smartphones. Only a couple of countries in the world give vulnerable cities an early warning - often just enough time to hit cover and save your life - but smartphones are virtually ubiquitous all over the world, even in poor countries which lack basic infrastructure like roads or flushing toilets.

1 2 3