Every day somewhere on our planet, there is an earthquake, but only the destructive ones in populated areas grab our attention. On January 12, 2010, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit Haiti. The next day the headline from the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) was Haiti Devastated by Massive Earthquake. The article tells how the earthquake, with […]

Did it sneak up on you again this year? Kidding aside, Richter Scale Day is April 26, the birthday of Charles Richter (1900-1985), inventor of the Richter scale. Most middle school science curricula include earth science studies in plate tectonics and its related phenomena, including earthquakes. Catastrophic events, such as the recent Italian earthquake, provide […]

If you fear taking your students outside might be misinterpreted by observers as an undeserved recess, think again. With the slogan, No Child Left Inside–actually an official act of Congress–the American Geological Institute (AGI) is once again promoting Earth Science Week.  Need a little more motivation? Read this excerpt from Last Child in the Woods, […]

Science Daily reported on Sunday, October 14, that a 3.0 magnitude earthquake hit Israel. This would be hardly worth noting except that two similar earthquakes have been recently recorded in the same area. According to the article, “such seismic activity appears to indicate a more disastrous quake is imminent.” Two scientists recounted the history of […]