A SINGLE BOULDER MAY PROVE THAT ANTARCTICA AND NORTH AMERICA WERE ONCE CONNECTED, July 17 A lone granite boulder found against all odds high atop a glacier in Antarctica may provide additional key evidence to support a theory that parts of the southernmost continent once were connected to North America hundreds of millions of years ago. Full story at http://www.physorg.com/news135518754.html That would be something else -- that would shock me! I wonder how that drift would've gone... Separation between the two where South America pushed in?? Or could've it ran straight down the Pacific?

CHINESE EARTHQUAKE PROVIDES LESSONS FOR FUTURE, July 21 The May 12 Sichuan earthquake in China was unexpectedly large. Analysis of the area, however, now shows that topographic characteristics of the highly mountainous area identified the mountain range as active and could have pointed to the earthquake hazard. Topographic analysis can help evaluate other, similar fault areas for seismic risk, according to geologists from Penn State and Arizona State University. Full story at http://www.physorg.com/news135861756.html STRONG EARTHQUAKE JOLTS NORTHERN JAPAN, July 21 A strong earthquake with a magnitude of 6.1 jolted northern Japan on Monday, the US Geological Survey said, but there was no immediate reports of damage or casualties. Full story at http://www.physorg.com/news135863558.html

UNDERSEA 'BLACK SMOKERS' FOUND OFF ARCTIC: SWISS SCIENTISTS, August 04 Jets of searingly hot water spewing up from the ocean floor have been discovered in a far-northern zone of the Arctic Ocean, Swiss-based scientists announced Monday. Full story at http://www.physorg.com/news137079920.html Another part of the whole exponential number of global warming reactions.....not good - this obviously factors in to a major increase in polar ice loss, and spurs on far more warming... :grimsanta:

Massive explosions! Also if you check the Global Natural Hazards thread, there is more volcanic catastrophe in there, too. Quite an active summer for them! News Release U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Release Date: Aug. 7, 2008 Contacts: Jennifer Adleman, jadleman@usgs.gov, 907-786-7497 Clarice Nassif Ransom, cransom@usgs.gov, 703-648-4299 Third Aleutian Volcano Erupts Explosively Kasatochi Volcano in Alaska’s Aleutian Islands erupted explosively Aug. 7, sending an ash plume more than 35,000 feet into the air and forcing two biologists from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to evacuate the island. “Kasatochi went from a quiet volcano to an explosive eruption within 24 hours and with very little warning,” said USGS volcano scientist Marianne Guffanti. “We are thankful our colleagues were able to get out before the eruption began. They were rescued just in time by a local fishing boat.” Kasatochi is the third volcano to erupt in the Aleutian Islands in three weeks. Okmok Volcano erupted unexpectedly and explosively on July 12, followed by Cleveland Volcano, 100 miles away, on July 21. Both volcanoes sent ash plumes skyrocketing and caused commercial airline flights to be diverted or cancelled. Scientists relied on seismic instruments on other volcano networks in the area to detect activity at Kasatochi volcano. "Fortunately, the existing seismic networks on nearby volcanoes picked up the activity at Kasatochi volcano," said Tom Murray, scientist-in-charge of the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO). "They were installed with funding from the Federal Aviation Administration to reduce the hazard to aviation from volcanic ash. These networks were crucial in recognizing that this volcano had entered the first stage of a major eruption.” “Our hope is to have monitoring equipment on all volcanoes that pose the grea-*test*-('") threats to public safety,” said Guffanti. “Satellite imagery is useful to see the big picture of what is happening and what is going into the atmosphere. But direct instrumentation, such as placing seismic monitors around a volcano, will help give an early warning and give people more time to plan for hazardous events.” Scientists are working around the clock to monitor the volcanoes and keep the public and emergency responders informed. Listen to a podcast interview with Guffanti at http://www.usgs.gov/corecast/details.asp?ID=91. You can learn about the USGS Volcano Hazards Program at http://volcanoes.usgs.gov. The AVO is a partnership of the USGS, University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute, and the Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys. Information about all of the current volcanic eruptions in Alaska including activity statements, images, background materials and related hazards can be found at the AVO home page: http://www.avo.alaska.edu . The USGS provides science for a changing world. For more information, visit www.usgs.gov. Subscribe to USGS News Releases via our electronic mailing list or RSS feed.

NEW INSIGHTS INTO CENTRE OF THE EARTH, August 15 A new observation of the very deepest part of the Earth, the solid inner core, has been reported this week in Nature. The team from the University of Bristol also observed intriguing evidence of a ‘texture’ in the solid iron that may reflect the patterns left as the swirling liquid iron of the outer core freezes to form the inner core. Full story at http://www.physorg.com/news138024501.html Magnitude-5.4 Earthquake Rattles Los Angeles Area A magnitude-5.4 earthquake rattled Los Angeles on July 29, causing strong shaking and minor damage. The earthquake was felt from Arizona to Nevada. Nearly 50 aftershocks have been recorded so far: most of them small, many of them felt, and the largest being a magnitude-3.8. The last notable earthquakes causing significant damage in the area were the January 17, 1994, magnitude-6.7 Northridge earthquake and the October 1, 1987, magnitude-5.9 Whittier Narrows earthquake. In 1999, the magnitude-7.1 Hector Mine earthquake in a remote part of the Mojave Desert was widely felt through the greater Los Angeles region, but caused no damage. To listen to a podcast interview about the July 29, 2008, Los Angeles earthquake, visit http://www.usgs.gov/corecast/details.asp?ID=88 . Earthquakes cannot be predicted, but earthquake-prone areas such as Los Angeles can be prepared for earthquakes. The Great Southern California ShakeOut, a weeklong series of special events featuring a massive earthquake drill on November 13, 2008, in Los Angeles, is one way for the public to prepare for the next big earthquake. To learn more about the ShakeOut, visit http://www.shakeout.org/ . For more information, contact Clarice Nassif Ransom at 703-648-4299 or cransom@usgs.gov. Explosive Eruptions of Kasatochi, Cleveland, and Okmok Volcanoes in Alaska Kasatochi Volcano in Alaska’s Aleutian Islands erupted explosively August 7, sending an ash plume more than 35,000 feet into the air. Kasatochi is the third volcano to erupt in the Aleutian Islands over the last month. Okmok Volcano erupted unexpectedly and explosively on July 12, followed by Cleveland Volcano, 100 miles away, on July 21. These volcanic eruptions may pose hazards to air travel in the area. Scientists are using a combination of seismic and GPS instruments on the ground and weather and radar satellites in space to track the progress of the eruption. The Alaska Volcano Observatory is responsible for issuing timely warnings of potential volcanic disasters to affected communities and civil authorities. It is also a joint program of the USGS, the Geophysical Institute of the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and the State of Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys. Information about the current eruption of these volcanoes, including activity statements, images, background materials, and related hazards can be found on the Alaska Volcano Observatory’s homepage at http://www.avo.alaska.edu/ . To listen to a podcast interview about the Kasatochi Volcano, visit http://www.usgs.gov/corecast/details.asp?ID=91 . For more information, contact Jennifer Adleman at 907-786-7497 or jadleman@usgs.gov.

EARTHQUAKES MAY ENDANGER NEW YORK MORE THAN FORMERLY BELIEVED, August 22 A study by a group of prominent seismologists suggests that a pattern of subtle but active faults makes the risk of earthquakes to the New York City area substantially greater than formerly believed. Among other things, they say that the controversial Indian Point nuclear power plants, 24 miles north of the city, sit astride the previously unidentified intersection of two active seismic zones. The paper appears in the current issue of the Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America. Full story at http://www.physorg.com/news138591421.html

STRONG QUAKE RATTLES NEW ZEALAND, MINOR DAMAGE REPORTED, August 25 A strong earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale rocked the east coast of New Zealand's North Island late Monday, scientists said. Full story at http://www.physorg.com/news138872558.html NEW ANALYSIS OF EARTHQUAKE ZONE RAISES QUESTIONS, August 26 Oregon State University scientists have completed a new analysis of an earthquake fault line that extends some 200 miles off the southern and central Oregon coast that they say is more active than the San Andreas Fault in California. Full story at http://www.physorg.com/news138967210.html YELLOWSTONE'S ANCIENT SUPERVOLCANO: ONLY LUKEWARM?, August 27 The geysers of Yellowstone National Park owe their eistence to the "Yellowstone hotspot"--a region of molten rock buried deep beneath Yellowstone, geologists have found. But how hot is this "hotspot," and what's causing it? Full story at http://www.physorg.com/news139071134.html

SCIENTISTS SEEK VOLUNTEERS TO MONITOR FOR QUAKES, September 25 (AP) -- Earthquake scientists want to borrow your laptop or maybe a little space in your basement or garage. Researchers don't have enough high-tech monitoring stations to track every instance of ground shaking, so they are enlisting help from ordinary people to document quakes and pinpoint areas of possible damage. Full story at http://www.physorg.com/news141578393.html You know the priorities of the government we pay are not in place when. :diablo: DISCOVERED: WORLD'S LARGEST TSUNAMI DEBRIS, September 25 A line of massive boulders on the western shore of Tonga may be evidence of the most powerful volcano-triggered tsunami found to date. Up to 9 meters (30 feet) high and weighing up to 1.6 million kilograms (3.5 million pounds), the seven coral boulders are located 100 to 400 meters (300 to 1,300 feet) from the coast. The house-sized boulders were likely flung ashore by a wave rivaling the 1883 Krakatau tsunami, which is estimated to have towered 35 meters (115 feet) high. Full story at http://www.physorg.com/news141568075.html That is pure fkkking insanity. LOL. :lol: