When an earthquake happens, the ground does not simply shake in one place. Energy released underground spreads outward in the form of waves, traveling through rock, around the planet, and eventually reaching seismic instruments hundreds or even thousands of kilometers away. These vibrations are called seismic waves. Understanding How Seismic Waves Travel Through the Earth … Read more
The ground beneath your feet may feel completely solid, but Earth’s crust is constantly changing. Huge tectonic plates move slowly, rocks bend under pressure, and fractures can develop deep underground over thousands or even millions of years. Some of those fractures are known as faults, often casually called fault lines. So, What Are Fault Lines … Read more
When an earthquake makes the news, the first number you usually hear is its magnitude. A report might describe a magnitude 6.5 earthquake, for example, followed by images showing severe damage in one town but only mild shaking somewhere else. This can seem confusing. If it was the same earthquake, why did different places experience … Read more
The ground feels solid, but it is never completely still. Far below our feet, enormous sections of Earth’s outer shell are slowly moving, pushing, pulling, and sliding against one another. Most of this movement is too gradual to notice. Occasionally, pressure that has accumulated for years is released in seconds, producing an earthquake. Understanding how … Read more