Why Was Afghanistan"s Magnitude 5.9 Earthquake So Devastating?
Famed seismologist Lucy Jones explains how building methods and quake dynamics interact—and what to do about the problem. -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com.....»»
Study demonstrates self-similar fractal stress is more suitable for destructive scenario earthquake simulation
Scenario earthquakes are useful in assessing earthquake hazards along active faults. However, determining the sources of destructive scenario earthquakes, particularly when dealing with heterogeneous stresses, can be challenging......»»
No sign of widespread lead exposure from Maui wildfires, Hawaii health officials say
Lead screening conducted on west Maui residents after last summer's devastating wildfires showed no widespread exposure to the toxic metal, Hawaii health officials said Thursday......»»
Brazil flooding death toll reaches 100
The death toll from devastating floods that have ravaged southern Brazil for days reached 100 on Wednesday, authorities said, as the search continued for dozens of people still missing......»»
Study suggests heavy snowfall and rain may contribute to some earthquakes
When scientists look for an earthquake's cause, their search often starts underground. As centuries of seismic studies have made clear, it's the collision of tectonic plates and the movement of subsurface faults and fissures that primarily trigger a.....»»
Earthquakes are moving northeast in Midland Basin of Texas, scientists find
After analyzing seven years of earthquake data from the Midland Basin, a team of scientists at The University of Texas at Austin has found that seismic activity is probably on the move northeast toward the community of Big Spring......»»
Nanotubes, nanoparticles and antibodies detect tiny amounts of fentanyl
A research team at the University of Pittsburgh led by Alexander Star, a chemistry professor in the Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, has developed a fentanyl sensor that is six orders of magnitude more sensitive than any electrochemic.....»»
Kenya floods death toll rises to 188 as heavy rains persist
The number of people who have lost their lives in devastating floods in Kenya since March has risen to 188, with dozens still missing, the interior ministry said on Thursday......»»
Do earthquake hazard maps predict higher shaking than actually occurred? Research finds discrepancy
A new study by Northwestern University researchers and coworkers explains a puzzling problem with maps of future earthquake shaking used to design earthquake-resistant buildings. The research was published May 1 in the journal Science Advances in a p.....»»
Researchers unlock potential of 2D magnetic devices for future computing
Imagine a future where computers can learn and make decisions in ways that mimic human thinking, but at a speed and efficiency that are orders of magnitude greater than the current capability of computers......»»
Kenya"s devastating floods expose decades of poor urban planning and bad land management
Floods in Kenya killed at least 169 people between March and April 2024. The most catastrophic of these deaths occurred after a flash flood swept through a rural village killing 42 people. Death and destruction have also occurred in the capital, Nair.....»»
A new way to study and help prevent landslides
Landslides are one of the most destructive natural disasters on the planet, causing billions of dollars of damage and devastating loss of life every year. By introducing a new paradigm for studying landslide shapes and failure types, a global team of.....»»
Genetic hope in fight against devastating wheat disease
Fungal disease Fusarium head blight (FHB) is on the rise due to increasingly humid conditions induced by climate change during the wheat growing season, but a fundamental discovery by University of Adelaide researchers could help reduce its economic.....»»
It"s not a match: Skill mismatch after job loss can have great impact on career
The loss of your job can be as devastating emotionally as a divorce. It's true that a divorce can actually enhance your marriage skills for the next time around, since the skills needed remain virtually unchanged, but the same cannot be said for job-.....»»
Quakes do not kill people, bad buildings do
Early on Tuesday (April 23), Taiwan was hit by a series of earthquakes with the highest magnitude at 6.3. The latest tremor came less than three weeks after a magnitude 7.4 quake hit the island, damaging more than 100 buildings and trapping dozens of.....»»
Scientists find common genes defending coffee plants against devastating disease
Arabica coffee is the most economically important coffee globally and accounts for 60% of coffee products worldwide. But the plants it hails from are vulnerable to a disease that, in the 1800s, devastated Sri Lanka's coffee empire......»»
From tape measures to space lasers: Quantifying biomass of the world"s tallest forests
In this era of accelerating climate crisis, accounting for all aspects of Earth's carbon cycle is a crucial task. The magnitude of atmospheric carbon burden means trees and forests are limited but important instruments among a suite of mitigation opt.....»»
Boron deficiency in oilseed rape transcriptome resembles a wounding and infection response
Boron deficiency has a devastating effect on oilseed rape and related plants. However, little is known about the underlying genetic mechanisms. A study shows that the response to persistent or short-term acute boron deficiency is similar to that seen.....»»
A new type of seismic sensor to detect moonquakes
During the Apollo missions of the 1970s, several seismometers were flown to the moon, where they collected data on lunar seismic trembling for eight years. The data showed some lunar quakes were as powerful as a magnitude 5......»»
Scientists at Spain meeting sound alarm over ocean warming
Scientists at a United Nations conference in Spain called Friday for more research into the sharp rise in ocean temperatures which they warn could have devastating consequences......»»
Rock permeability, microquakes link may be a boon for geothermal energy
Using machine learning, researchers at Penn State have tied low-magnitude microearthquakes to the permeability of subsurface rocks beneath the Earth, a discovery that could have implications for improving geothermal energy transfer......»»