Natural Disasters
Volcanoes: Nature’s Way of Letting Off Steam
A slide show of eruptions and their impacts around the world
Natural Disasters742 articles archived since 1845
EARTH
What Causes a Volcano to Erupt, and How Do Scientists Predict Eruptions?
Volcanologists cannot yet predict a volcanic eruption
Natural Disasters
Can We Predict Earthquakes At All?
If we can predict hurricanes, floods, and tornados to differing degrees of reliability, why don’t we know when the next big earthquake will come?
Natural Disasters
How Did Hawaii Form?
The volcanic island chain was born when the Pacific tectonic plate drifted over a hotspot in Earth’s mantle.
Natural Disasters
Hurricane Maria Contributed to Nearly 5,000 Deaths, Researchers Say
A new estimate including indirect deaths in Puerto Rico is 72 times higher than the official death toll
Natural Disasters
The Lowdown on LAZE: Kilauea's Most Recent Hazard
Acidic clouds rise from the water—what are they, and how dangerous can they be?
Policy
Colorado Charts a New Path Away from Floodwaters
After a devastating 2013 flood, the state aims to make a key section of highway more resilient to future deluges
Natural Disasters
Dinosaurs: From Humble Beginnings to Global Dominance
Edinburgh University paleontologist Steve Brusatte talks about his May 2018 Scientific American article, "The Unlikely Triumph of the Dinosaurs," and his new book, The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of a Lost World ...
Natural Disasters
Kilauea's Lava Is Now Spilling into the Ocean--Here's Why That's Dangerous
A pair of scientists discuss the hazards that Kilauea might pose before it finishes erupting
Natural Disasters
Evacuating Volcano Country: Begin Your Preparations Today
In volcano country, there may not be a tomorrow
Natural Disasters
New Data: Hurricanes Will Get Worse
Analysis of Hurricane Harvey, which drowned Houston, confirms predictions that the storms are likely to get bigger, be more intense and last longer
Natural Disasters
Kilauea’s Next Eruptions May Mirror a Big One in Its Past
A giant 1924 explosion, when steam jets blew boulders from the summit, had many of the precursors we see now
Natural Disasters
How Kilauea’s Lava Invades Neighborhoods
Following underground routes, molten rock moves from crater pools to people’s yards
Natural Disasters
Leilani Estates Eruption: No End in Sight
The lava drama unfolds in Leilani Estates
Natural Disasters
Kilauea Erupts Fountains of Fire in Leilani Estates
Hawaii's most active volcano opens a new fissure and drives people from their homes
Explosive History: Vesuvius by Gillian Darley
History and geology meet in one truly sublime read
Natural Disasters
How Do Earthquake-Warning Systems Work?
Earthquake-warning systems save lives by detecting the first signs of shaking.
Natural Disasters
Greenland's Biggest Fire Is a "Warning" for Its Future
A wildfire in summer 2017 deposited heat-absorbing black carbon on the imperiled ice sheet
EARTH
Glacier Suddenly Goes Galloping
Researchers try to figure out why every 20 years a Pakistan glacier moves roughly 1,500 times faster.
Natural Disasters
Taming the Mighty Mississippi May Have Caused Bigger Floods
Human meddling with the river is blamed for most of the rise in flood levels, but the role of climate remains unclear
