Earthquakes

Rain, waves, and seeping groundwater can destabilize seaside bluffs, making them prone to collapse.

The Science of Predicting When Bluffs in Southern California Will Collapse

Researchers are using lidar to better understand the erosional forces that cause oceanfront cliffs to crumble

A postcard of Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, New York, from 1914

Five of America's Most Invincible Hotels

From Miami to San Francisco, these luxury establishments survived their share of crises before the Covid-19 pandemic

Iceland currently has 30 active volcanoes and is known for its frequent seismic and volcanic activity.

Icelandic Volcano Erupts After 6,000 Years of Dormancy

It was the first eruption in southwestern Iceland in nearly 800 years

On March 11, 2021, lanterns are released in remembrance of earthquake and tsunami victims in Koriyama, Fukushima prefecture.

Remembering the Fukushima Nuclear Disaster Ten Years Later

The 9.0-magnitude earthquake in 2011 remains the largest in Japan's recorded history

Fin whale songs are some of the loudest animals in the ocean, producing calls that can reach 189 decibels and are almost as loud as container ships.

Researchers Use Whale Calls to Probe Undersea Geology

The study finds that fin whale songs are powerful enough to reverberate through the Earth’s crust, allowing scientists to study its thickness and structure

InSight was sent on a mission to answer questions about the Red Planet's crust, mantle and core, known as the "inner space."

Mars InSight Lander Offers a Sneak Peek at the Red Planet's Inner Layers

The robotic explorer was sent to Mars to study its formation—and the data is now making its way back to Earth

Search and rescue teams search for survivors in the debris of fallen buildings in Izmir, Turkey.

Magnitude 7.0 Earthquake Hits Turkey and Greece

The region has experienced 29 earthquakes with a magnitude of 6.0 or higher in the last 100 years

Researchers identified a "trench" previously dated to modern times as a 3,700-year-old fissure.

Did an Earthquake Topple This Ancient Canaanite Palace?

Excavations at Tel Kabri in Israel revealed physical evidence of a natural disaster

A magnitude 7.4 quake shook Mexico's southern state Oaxaca June 23.

Magnitude 7.4 Earthquake Hits Southern Mexico

Mexico sits above a complicated system of tectonic plates that makes the region prone to violent temblors

In 2016, fluid like water or liquid carbon dioxide broke into the fault system. Over four years, it filled the cracks and set of a swarm of tremors.

Earthquake Swarm Reveals Complex Structure of a California Fault Line

In 2016, fluid broke into the cracks of a fault system, setting off a four-year-long swarm of mini earthquakes

Mauna Kea as seen from the Mauna Loa observatory.

Mauna Kea’s Quakes Might Be Caused by Shifting Gas

The volcano has been rumbling regularly for years, but it’s nothing to worry about

The loudest marching band at the Rose Parade was Southern University and A&M College's "Human Jukebox" from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It was their first performance at the parade in 40 years—talk about a booming comeback!

Marching Bands Make Seismic Waves at the Rose Parade

A fiber optic cable system for sensing earthquakes also gives marching bands a new source of bragging rights

Rubble from the Museo de la Masacre de Ponce fell from the top of the building and caused the collapse of its second-floor balcony.

5.4-Magnitude Earthquake Damages Puerto Rican Museums

The Museo de la Massacre de Ponce and Casa Paoli were among the buildings affected by Saturday's tremors

Evidence suggests “[t]he piles outside the walls weren’t material that’s been dumped to get rid of it,” says archaeologist Allison Emmerson. “They’re outside the walls being collected and sorted to be resold inside the walls.”

Analysis of Pompeii's Garbage Suggests the Ancient Romans Recycled, Too

The city's residents sorted waste materials for reuse in future projects, according to new research

The top of Zagreb Cathedral's southern spire toppled during Sunday's earthquake.

5.4-Magnitude Earthquake Damages Zagreb Cathedral, Museums

The tremors, which arrived in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, was the worst the Croatian capital has seen in 140 years

To escape loud noises, sperm whales have been known to swim to the surface too quickly and give themselves the bends.

Whales Struggled to Find Food After New Zealand’s 2016 Earthquake

Sperm whales are at the top of the food chain, and the effects of undersea landslides rippled up

Untitled image from Restricted Residence

Nearly a Decade After Fukushima, Photos Capture Residents' Bittersweet Return

A new photo series titled “Restricted Residence” features 42 thermal images of locals and their changed landscape

How Haiti’s Devastating Earthquake Prompted a Worldwide Effort to Safeguard Cultural Heritage

To safeguard cultural heritage, a massive Smithsonian-led cultural rescue operation can now be mobilized to help countries recover from disaster

Did a 1964 Earthquake Bring a Dangerous Fungus to the Pacific Northwest?

A new study posits that tsunamis triggered by the Great Alaska Earthquake washed Cryptococcus gattii onto the shore

A piece of locally painted art on display at the Marriott Port-au-Prince in Haiti.

Explore Port-au-Prince's Triumphant Art Scene

Haiti's capital city may still be recovering from the destructive earthquake that struck in 2010, but its art community is thriving

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