A normally calm state is hit by a wave of minor earthquakes—causing some to point the finger at fracking. But wastewater …
earthquake
EcocentricDisasters
Your City Might Not Be Ready for the Next Big Quake
More than 20 million people will take part in the Great ShakeOut today, raising awareness about earthquake risks. But it won’t help unless we fortify vulnerable buildings.
EcocentricDisasters
The Money We Give to Quake Victims Could Be Better Spent Before Disaster Hits
When an earthquake strikes a poor country, the international community is quick to send aid. But some of that money would do more good before disaster hits
EcocentricDisasters
Aftershocks Could Raise Earthquake Risks for Vulnerable Cities
Tokyo escaped damage in the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. But a new study indicates that aftershocks from the quake may have increased the seismic danger the Japanese megacity faces
EcocentricDisasters
How Shoddily Constructed Buildings Become Weapons of Mass Destruction
We tend to focus on the size of an earthquake, but death toll has more to do with the quality of buildings. A new study shows that countries in south-central Asia are on the wrong side of the disaster divide — and the costs …
EcocentricDisasters
From Texas to China: When Man-Made Problems Make Natural Disasters Worse
The massive fertilizer explosion in Texas and the 6.6-magnitude earthquake in China were both accidents. But smarter preparation and policy may have been able to reduce the death toll
EcocentricSolar Power
Light for Haiti: A Feel-Good Tale in a Still-Dark Place
The sun will set early in Haiti tonight. By 5:23 PM, night will have come to the island nation, and while night comes to virtually every part of the world virtually everyday, throughout much of Haiti, the darkness will be much …
EcocentricEcocentric
Tsunami Revelations: Scientists Discover that the Japanese Tidal Wave Was a ‘Merged Tsunami’ — the First Ever Observed
The tsunami that tore through northern Japan on March 11 was catastrophically strong. The waves—triggered by a 9.0 earthquake—swamped coastal towns, destroyed homes and offices and led to the deaths of nearly 16,000 people. …
EcocentricHealth
Do I Dare to Eat a Peach? Fukushima Citizens and Farmers Struggle with Food Safety
Call it slipper security. To get clearance into the food radiation testing center at Fukushima Agricultural Technology Center, you have to change shoes three times. The first time, you get a black pair. The second time, after your heels are scanned by a Geiger counter and deemed radiation-free, you change into a pair of plastic house …
EcocentricEcocentric
Is This Mike On? Another YouTube SOS from Fukushima
Another disgruntled Japanese official has taken to the interwebs to air his grievances about the inadequate attention being paid to the welfare of residents of Minamisoma, a town about 25 kilometers away from the stricken Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant. Minamisoma last grabbed international headlines when the town’s mayor posted …