In the wake of the sinkhole that developed beneath a Florida man’s bedroom, tragically killing the man as he was “sucked” into the earth, many people are searching for information. While I am unable to tell you all the details of this event, I can give you some information about sinkholes: where and why they can form, and what the average person can do to avoid the same fate as Jeff Bush.
Japan was subjected to a barrage of earthquakes Friday, led by a massive 8.9 magnitude quake…the strongest to hit Japan in over 100 years. Throughout the next 10 hours, over 40 aftershocks hammered the island nation resulting in widespread damage, landslides, fires, and a tsunami wave reaching up to 10 meters.
Earthquake “forecasting” may not only help to mitigate the catastrophic damages associated with earthquakes, but has the potential to save thousands of lives. For at least the last century scientists have struggled to develop an accurate prediction of earthquakes prior to their occurrence. Based on current research, we may be closer to accurate predictions than you think!
It’s been fifty-six days since an explosion shook the Deepwater Horizon oil rig operated by British Petroleum Plc. Current estimates show an additional 1.7 million gallons of oil are contaminating the Gulf of Mexico every day. With only minimal success in slowing the leak, we still do not have a definitive answer for the exact volume of oil that is creating an oil slick so large that it can be seen from space. In some ways, this could be considered the largest man-made feature ever created.
Recent studies show global warming could eventually halt the driving force behind the occurrence of most of the world’s earthquakes. Given the tremendous damage and loss of life as a result of the recent quakes in Haiti, Chile, and China, could this be a shiny glimpse of light on the otherwise tarnished reputation of climate change?
Adventures in Geology 