natural disasters

The California-Made Earthquake Alarm That Works But California Won’t Build

For all of the devastation caused by the 2011 earthquake/tsunami in Japan, the former, a 9.0 magnitude beast called “Tohoku,” could have claimed far more lives. The reason it didn’t? Since 2007, Japan has had an early warning system — conceived 10 years ago at Caltech — which California still hasn’t managed to set up. And while it only gives about a minute notice, it’s a minute Californians currently don’t have.


Tracking Tremors: A Brief History Of The Richter Scale

In the study of natural disasters — be they tornadoes, hurricanes, snowpacolyses or Florida on a weekday — the event’s magnitude is just as vital to our understanding as its duration and frequency. Hurricanes and tornadoes are measured by class, blizzards along the Winter Wonderland-Killstorm demarcation. Earthquakes, of course, are measured by how much energy they release — a system better known as the Richter Scale.


Planning For The Next Sandy: Manhattan Building Installs $250,000 Gate

After Hurricane Sandy blew through New York in October, the lion’s share of media coverage focused on the beachfront where damage was most visible. In lower Manhattan though, the 3m storm surge took a subterranean toll, ruining millions of dollars worth of mechanical systems and forcing many developers to consider how they’d retrofit for the next big one.


Watch This Anti-Earthquake Table Shrug Off A Violent Simulated Tremor

It’s all but impossible to stop an entire building from shaking along with an earthquake, but that doesn’t mean you can’t protect what’s inside. Japan’s THK designs and builds these ‘seismic isolation tables’ which are able to counteract the violent movements of an earthquake on a smaller scale.


Japan Turns Sole Surviving Tsunami Tree Into Gigantic Sculpture

Two years ago today, Japan was ravaged by a horrible tsunami. Now, there’s a new memorial dedicated to the tragedy: the “miracle tree” that survived the surge has now been converted into a sculpture.


Horrifying 30m Sinkhole Swallowed A Man Sleeping In His Bed

Last night, a man awoke to a very real nightmare as the floor of his bedroom collapsed out from under him. The sinkhole that spawned beneath his home in Florida simply enveloped the room — and its sole occupant — with no warning, leaving almost nothing behind.


This Emergency Bear Will Provide More Than Comfort In A Natural Disaster

The second anniversary of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami is quickly approaching, and the country is doing everything it can to be prepared for the next disaster. This particular stuffed bear does its part by coming chock full of emergency supplies.


Winter Storm Nemo Has Ruined Twitter Parody Accounts Forever

We all knew this would happen. It always happens, but it’s still horrifying to see. Put together by EJMaroun and brought to our attention by stefan, here’s a harrowing look at the state of Twitter comedy today. This is far more harrowing than a storm.


Watch Winter Storm Nemo Crash Into North America Live

If you want to get in on the snowstorm action hammering North America right now, there are a whole bunch of live webcams available for your perusal.


Here Comes The Snowpocalypse From Space

The US state of Minnesota gets these just about every other day during winter, but this picture from from NOAA’s GOES-13 satellite will make even them run away screaming and looting supermarkets.


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