Natural Disasters

Mount Agung

The Geology of Bali's Simmering Agung Volcano

The high viscosity magma of stratovolcanoes like Agung makes them extremely explosive—and potentially deadly

These Siblings Were Trapped in a Raging Flood in Italy

On October 9, 1962, Bartolomeo and Margareta Filippin became trapped on the second floor of their house in Longarone, Italy

A solar and battery-powered microgrid got San Juan’s Children’s Hospital quickly back online after Hurricane Maria.

Why Puerto Rico's Power Can't Come From Solar 'Microgrids' Alone

The island could benefit from on-site solar and battery backup, but the strategy isn't a cure-all for its energy woes

The minimLET toilet kit

A Sleek Portable Toilet and Other Design Solutions for Disaster Victims

The toilet kit, from a Japanese design studio, is part of wave of interest in design fixes for the problems created by disasters

Chilling Footage of the 1989 Cypress Freeway Collapse

The Oakland fire department rushed to the scene of the Cypress Freeway, after the 1989 San Francisco Earthquake hits. They were greeted by a catastrophe

Why the 1989 San Francisco Quake Was So Disastrous

The 1989 San Francisco earthquake delivered a myriad of deadly disasters, all unfolding at the same time

Crews clean up debris in a neighborhood flooded by Hurricane Harvey in Beaumont, Texas, Sept. 26, 2017

How Do Scientists Measure the Public Health Impacts of Natural Disasters?

In the wake of this year's hurricanes, epidemiologists are assessing the effects of mold, toxic leaks and other threats

Footage of the 1980 Mount St. Helens Eruption

On May 18, 1980, the Mount St. Helens became the largest and most destructive volcanic eruption in U.S. history

The Aitape skull

This Ancient Skull May Have Belonged to The World's Oldest Tsunami Victim

A new study says Papua New Guinea's Aitape skull is from someone who died in a massive ocean wave 6,000 years ago

Flooded area in Carolina, Puerto Rico, after the path of Hurricane Maria in the island.

Bacterial Infections Spread in Storm-Ravaged Puerto Rico and Texas

In the wake of Hurricanes Maria and Harvey, bacterial infections threaten communities struggling to rebuild

Five Things to Know About the Yellowstone Supervolcano

There's no need to worry: It's unlikely it will blow anytime soon

Could satellites ever prevent natural disasters?

The "Science" Behind "Geostorm", the Newest Weather-Fueled Doomsday Flick

Researchers have long sought control over the weather, but have yet to find a realistic way to master it

A southern New Hampshire pine forest was entirely blown down in the hurricane of 1938.

The 1938 Hurricane That Revived New England's Fall Colors

An epic natural disaster restored the forest of an earlier America

Young people of the U.S. Virgin Islands march along in a carnival parade, amid the destruction of Hurricane Hugo in 1989.

How Cultural Resilience Made a Difference After Hurricane Hugo And Could Help Again

When the 1989 hurricane devastated the U.S. Virgin Islands, Smithsonian folklorists were working on an upcoming Folklife Festival

Japanese sea slugs that washed ashore in Oregon in 2015

The 2011 Tsunami Flushed Hundreds of Japanese Species Across the Ocean

After the Fukushima disaster, a surprising number of coastal creatures survived a multi-year journey by clinging to floating debris

When Did East Asian Countries Adopt the Western Calendar and More Questions From Our Readers

You asked, we answered

Rescue workers search for survivors among the rubble of a collapsed building in Mexico City. Structures throughout the capital were devastated during yesterday's earthquake.

How Mexico City’s Unique Geology Makes Deadly Earthquakes Even Worse

The entire country—but especially the capital—has all the ingredients for seismic catastrophe

The destruction left in Irma's wake is so widespread it can even be seen from space. These satellite images show Irma's effects on the British and U.S. Virgin Islands before (top) and after (bottom) the storm.

Damage From Hurricane Irma Can Be Seen From Space

Caribbean islands that were once lush and green now appear sickly and brown

Koalas eat 200 to 500 grams of eucalyptus a day. So when all shipping routes go down, what's an animal nutritionist to do?

When Disaster Strikes, the Zoo Must Go On

Zoo nutritionists have the Herculean task of feeding thousands of charges, come hurricane, tornado or terrorist attack

A relief party works to find bodies after the hurricane's destruction.

More Than a Century Later, This Texas Hurricane Remains America’s Deadliest Natural Disaster

The Great Galveston Hurricane helped the city of Houston to rise to prominence

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