Earthquakes, features and articles | Educational Science

Aug 31, 2013

Hotspot Scorched Midwest, Leaving Legacy of Earthquakes, Rare Rocks

A seismic speed trap that stretches from Missouri to Virginia suggests a hotspot scorched the Midwest during the Mesozoic Era, a new study finds. Hotspots are scalding plumes of hot rock rising toward Earth's surface from the mantle, the layer that sits under Earth's crust. Though tectonic plates constantly shift,...

Aug 31, 2013

Earthquake Detection: Smartphone Tech Could Improve Response

Small sensors found in most smartphones and laptops are sensitive enough to detect the movement of moderate and large earthquakes, and could vastly expand the information gathered during seismic events in densely populated cities, new research suggests. The devices, called micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) accelerometers, measure movement in three dimensions and...

Jun 30, 2013

Earthquakes Burp Up Methane Bubbles

The long-suspected link between earthquakes and underwater methane bursts has finally been confirmed, reports a study published today (July 28) in the journal Nature Geoscience. Though the temblor wasn't caught in the act, the strong shaking left clues in methane-rich mud and sand offshore of Pakistan, where two of Earth's...

May 31, 2013

Massive Earthquakes Make Volcanoes Sink

The biggest earthquakes also move mountains. The massive earthquakes that struck Japan and Chile in 2011 and 2010, respectively, sank several big volcanoes by up to 6 inches (15 centimeters), two new studies report. This is the first time scientists have seen a string of volcanoes drop after an earthquake....

Aug 31, 2014

Southwest's Earthquake Spike Linked to Injection Wells

A dramatic increase in earthquakes in a small region of New Mexico and Colorado was triggered by the underground disposal of wastewater, according to a new study from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). There was a 40-fold increase in earthquakes in the area since 2001, compared to over the last...

Jul 31, 2014

Faraway Earthquake Triggered Antarctica Icequakes

Antarctica's ice snapped and popped because of a major earthquake in Maule, Chile, halfway around the world, a new study reports. Antarctica has been touched by great earthquakes before. In March 2011, Japan's Tohoku tsunami tore off two Manhattan-size icebergs from the Sulzberger Ice Shelf, more than 8,000 miles (13,000...

Jul 31, 2014

Strongest Earthquake in 25 Years Hits Northern California

A 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck the Bay area near Napa, California, this morning (Aug. 24), the largest such event in the area since the magnitude-6.9 Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Dozens of injuries and severe damage to homes, buildings and infrastructure have been reported,...

Aug 31, 2015

California Faces Threat of Earthquake-Triggered Tsunamis

Californians may be used to hearing about the threat of potentially deadly earthquakes, but a new study finds that quake-triggered tsunamis pose a greater risk to Southern California than previously thought. Tsunamis are monster waves that can reach more than 100 feet (30 meters) high. They are often caused by...

Aug 31, 2015

Many Injuries in California's 2014 Quake Occurred During Cleanup

Many of the people who were injured from the 6.0-magnitude earthquake in Napa, California, last year were actually hurt during the cleanup effort, after the quake was over, according to a new study. The earthquake — which was the largest in the San Francisco Bay Area in 25 years —...

Mar 31, 2015

Bigger Earthquake Coming on Nepal's Terrifying Faults

Nepal faces larger and more deadly earthquakes, even after the magnitude-7.8 temblor that killed more than 4,000 people on Saturday (April 25). Earthquake experts say Saturday's Nepal earthquake did not release all of the pent-up seismic pressure in the region near Kathmandu. According to GPS monitoring and geologic studies, some...

Nov 30, 2016

Biggest Natural Disasters of 2016: Year of the Earthquake

The Year's Biggest Natural Disasters The Copernicus Sentinel-3A satellite captured this image of Hurricane Matthew at 11:13 p.m. ET on Oct. 6 (03:15 GMT on Oct. 7) as it approached Florida. The thermal infrared image shows the temperature at the top of the hurricane. (Image credit: ESA)This year was one...

Mar 31, 2016

Why Do So Many Earthquakes Strike Japan?

A magnitude-7.0 earthquake struck southern Japan today, less than two days after a 6.2-magnitude temblor rocked the same region, triggering tsunami advisories in the area. The most recent earthquake struck the Kumamoto region on Japan's Kyushu Island early Saturday (April 16) at 1:25 a.m. local time (12:25 p.m. ET on...

Mar 31, 2016

Earthquakes in Japan and Ecuador Aren't Related: Here's Why

They may have happened within days of one another, but the devastating earthquakes in Japan had nothing to do with the strong temblor that struck Ecuador over the weekend, experts say. Both Japan and Ecuador are located along the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, which spans the coasts lining the...

Jul 31, 2019

6.3-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Off Oregon Coast

A strong earthquake struck off the coast of Oregon today (Aug. 29), according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The 6.3-magnitude earthquake occurred at 8:07 a.m. local time (11:07 a.m. ET) about 176 miles (284 kilometers) west-northwest of Bandon, Oregon, the USGS reported. So far, there have been no reports...

Jun 30, 2019

SoCal Has An 8% Chance of Another Huge Quake This Week

There's an 8% chance that Southern California could be rocked by another magnitude 6.0 or above earthquake this week, according to seismologists. The region trembled under the effects of two large quakes last week, one a magnitude 6.4 on July 4 and one a magnitude 7.1 on July 5, both...