earthquakes
Newsletter
Greenland landslide triggered global seismic event for nine days
A climate-driven landslide and mega-tsunami in Greenland in 2023 caused a seismic event that made the Earth vibrate for more than a week.
In short:
- A 1,200-meter-high mountain collapsed into Greenland's Dickson fjord, causing a tsunami with initial waves 200 meters high.
- The tsunami waves sent seismic vibrations through the Earth for nine days, a phenomenon never seen before from such an event.
- Scientists linked the collapse to melting glaciers caused by climate change, warning of more frequent landslides in the future.
Key quote:
“We can quite clearly see this event, triggered by climate change, caused a global vibration beneath all of our feet, everywhere around the world.”
— Anne Mangeney, landslide modeller at the Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris in France
Why this matters:
As Arctic regions warm, the stability of landscapes once thought secure is at risk, leading to unpredictable natural disasters. This incident shows how climate change impacts can reverberate globally, both literally and figuratively.
Learn more: Scientists warn of irreversible climate tipping points
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Newsletter
Fracking's role in Argentina's increased earthquakes
Residents of northern Patagonia are enduring increasing earthquakes caused by intensive fracking, with little action from Argentine regulators despite clear evidence linking the two.
In short:
- In Argentina's Patagonia region, frequent earthquakes have become a norm due to intense fracking activities, severely impacting local communities and structures.
- Despite clear links between fracking operations and seismic activities, regulatory bodies remain largely inactive, failing to provide necessary oversight or mitigation strategies.
- Indigenous Mapuche communities, alongside other locals, experience significant distress and damage, with little to no governmental support or recourse.
Key quote:
"I have been completely traumatized."
— Ana Guircaleo, member of the Wirkaleo Mapuche community
Why this matters:
Seismic events triggered by fracking can have far-reaching consequences beyond property damage. They can disrupt local economies, causing financial strain on residents and businesses alike.
Fracking not only consumes vast amounts of water and releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere but also has the potential to contaminate groundwater and surface water sources with harmful chemicals.
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Photo by Zbynek Burival on Unsplash
Well permits suspended to reduce earthquakes in West Texas
Injecting saltwater back into the ground “is likely contributing to recent seismic activity,” the Railroad Commission of Texas has said.
Photo by Brad Weaver on Unsplash
Editorial: Fracking earthquakes are a devil’s bargain Texas doesn’t need
Temblors in Texas have risen sharply over the past decade, and research has linked the increased seismic activity to fracking.
Newsletter
Image by Tania Dimas from Pixabay
Earth is taking a pounding from bigger ocean waves. Why this matters
Stormier seas and larger ocean swell in recent decades are pounding Earth’s seafloor with more force, sending larger ripples through Earth’s crust — almost like a tiny, tiny, tiny earthquake.
Photo by Daniel Sinoca on Unsplash
Activists want California nuclear reactor closed over safety concerns
The Diablo Canyon reactors were scheduled to shutter in 2025, but California reversed course last year and is now considering running the plant until at least the end of the decade.
Photo by Brad Weaver on Unsplash
It's not just earthquakes — fracking also linked to small tremors, study finds
While past studies have linked fracking to earthquakes, scientists now say the drilling method is also a source of even small seismic tremors.
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