Category Archives: society

Aftershocks, triggered earthquakes, and Christchurch’s seismic future

As more scientific information becomes available regarding last week’s magnitude 6.3 earthquake in Christchurch, we can look a bit more closely at the nature of this earthquake, how it fits into the overall tectonic picture in New Zealand, and future … Continue reading

Categories: earthquakes, geohazards, society, tectonics

Magnitude 6.3 earthquake rocks Christchurch

[Note: see the bottom of this post for the latest updates and links – last update 26th February]. A few hours ago, Christchurch, the largest city on the South Island of New Zealand, was once again shaken by a large … Continue reading

Categories: earthquakes, focal mechanisms, geohazards, society, tectonics

When snow doesn’t melt away like snow

When you move to a new country, it’s always interesting to observe the differences in how places work. Sometimes, a shared problem is solved in a completely different way (for example, the South African approach to separating out recyclable material … Continue reading

Categories: photos, society

Pakistan floods: Predictable or predicted, but a disaster nonetheless

Unusually heavy monsoon rains in July and August 2010 left large swaths of Pakistan underwater. At least 18 million people were affected by the flood, and it is estimated that, more than six months later, several hundred thousand remain without … Continue reading

Categories: by Anne, climate science, geohazards, hydrology, paper reviews, society

Snow days

Snowed in in Chicago – even a city with a fleet of 300 snow ploughs has its limits… Continue reading

Categories: environment, photos, society