Natural Disasters
Canadian Earthquake Detector Has Deep-Sea Edge over U.S. Rival
Seafloor instruments will monitor seismic activity very close to the Cascadia fault
Natural Disasters742 articles archived since 1845
Weather
Air Pollution Gives Storm Clouds a Stronger, Longer Life
More particulate matter in the air can build stronger, longer-lasting thunderstorms over the tropics, leading to more extreme storms. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Policy
Trump's Dubious Drought Claims
The candidate said California has “no drought” and that water farmers need is being used to protect a “three-inch fish”
EARTH
U.S. Ocean-Observing Project Launches at Last
Network of deep-water observatories streams data in real time
Environment
"Zombie Volcano" Slowly Grows beneath New Zealand
Molten rock accumulates in a magma chamber outside the North Island’s main volcanoes
Evolution
Did Ancient Climate Change Ignite Human Evolution?
How drying forests and lightning may have turned fire from a primal threat into a life-sustaining object of reverence
EARTH
New Zealand's Alpine Fault Just Keeps Slipping
The fault has shifted approximately 700 kilometers over the past 25 million years
Space & Physics
Giant Tsunami Remnants Spotted on Mars
Evidence indicates that waves as tall as skyscrapers and thousands of kilometers wide once washed over the Red Planet.
Climate Change
Sea Level Rise Swallows 5 Whole Pacific Islands
Evidence confirms dramatic climate change effects in the Solomon Islands
Natural Disasters
Catastrophic Canadian Wildfire Is a Sign of Destruction to Come
Less snow and warmer spring mean more acres burned
Culture
A Visionary Mathematician Comes to the Silver Screen
Film and book reviews from Scientific American’s May 2016 issue
Natural Disasters
Rivers Can Resist Floods from Climate Change
Heavy rainstorms, tied to global warming, will not send gravelly, stony rivers raging over the landscape
Weather
Drought-Ridden L.A. Tries Rainmakers to Tap Storm Clouds
As hoped-for precipitation from El Niño falls short, Los Angeles resorts to a controversial method to reap water from the sky
Natural Disasters
Destructive Wildfire near Canada's Oil Sands May Have Been Fueled by Global Warming
The devastating natural disaster in Fort McMurray is “consistent” with climate change
Natural Disasters
Drought-Hit Zimbabwe Puts Wild Animals Up for Sale
Country plans to “de-stock its parks” and seeks buyers who can manage wildlife
Climate Change
Could a Lack of Water Cause Wars?
Water scarcity poses a greater risk of turmoil under global warming, the World Bank argues
Environment
Oddly, Insect Outbreaks Reduce Wildfire Severity
The bugs kill trees but also reduce accumulated “fuel”
Natural Disasters
Killer Landslides: The Lasting Legacy of Nepal's Quake
A year after a devastating earthquake triggered killer avalanches and rock falls in Nepal, scientists are wiring up mountainsides to forecast hazards
Natural Disasters
Ecuador Quake Is on a Fault That Generates Monster Shakers
This region, where the ground beneath the Pacific is shoving underneath South America, produced the biggest earthquake ever recorded—and built the Andes
Natural Disasters
At Least 130 Aftershocks Jolt Japan after Deadly Quake
A shallow center made the magnitude 6.4 earthquake more dangerous
