RECENT ARTICLE ON EARTH SCIENCE

There has been a gradual introduction to the world of Recent Article On Earth Science projected in this article. We had done this so that the actual meaning of the article will sink within you.

Science and Environment: This Unstable Earth

Most of the time, the planet we live on seems like a safe and stable place. But as recent events have proven, colossal forces determined by the physics of the earth slowly build up to be suddenly released in catastrophic earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunamis that spawn yet more science and environment concerns for many inhabitants. Vision was in the process of preparing an article on this subject when the Asian tsunami struck on December 26, 2004, with the catastrophic results we all know too well. Before a horrified worldwide TV audience, the Indian Ocean basin reeled following the massive earthquake and resultant tsunami, which together may have obliterated as many as 300,000 lives. All of us were forcibly reminded that Earth--and all of us along with it--is in fact quite vulnerable.Bill McGuire, a volcanologist and professor of geophysical hazards at University College, London, expresses it this way: "The Earth is an extraordinarily fragile place that is fraught with danger: a tiny rock hurtling through space, wracked by violent movements of its crust and subject to dramatic climatic changes as its geophysical and orbital circumstances vary" (A Guide to the End of the World, 2002 ).Each week approximately 10,000 detectable earthquakes shake our planet. About 2,000 of them can be felt, and on average, two of them cause damage. In addition, around 20 volcanoes are erupting at any given moment. Those who find themselves in the way of such traumatic events often wonder whether God is punishing them or whether the world is coming to a cataclysmic end.ALL SHOOK UPEarthquakes and volcanoes are probably the most spectacular of all natural disasters.It is a fact that earthquakes and their after effects have caused multiple millions of deaths over the course of human history. In terms of loss of life, one of the most catastrophic was the one that struck China in 1556, killing an estimated 830,000 people. And one of the most devastating in modern times struck Japan on September 1, 1923, registering 7.9 on the Richter scale. The quake, which shook Tokyo, Yokohama and the surrounding area, was followed by a tsunami, numerous landslides, and devastating fires. Within two days at least 140,000 people had died and the two cities lay largely in ashes.With regard to volcanoes, nearly everyone is familiar with one of the most famous events in history--the 1883 explosions of Indonesia's Krakatau (or Krakatoa), an island consisting of three volcanic cones between the islands of Java and Sumatra. Volcanic activity began in May and continued through August. Pressure built up inside the cones because gas escaping from the magma had no outlet, and like a steam boiler with its safety valve closed, they exploded with a series of powerful blasts on August 26 and 27. Four great explosions over the course of a few short hours hurled rocks into the air, some of which showered down on nearby ships. Inhabitants of the Indian Ocean island of Rodriguez, 3,000 miles away, reported hearing the noise. The force was so great that the northern half of the island (including two of the volcanic cones) collapsed and disappeared. This in turn generated tsunamis, with some waves coming ashore at heights of 130 feet. The destruction resulted in tens of thousands of deaths in the region.
Author, Donna Butler, writes articles on science and environmental issues for Vision Media. More information about these and other topics can be found at http://www.vision.org.
Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com

Golf Courses USA | Pocket PC | Airport Directory USA | US Colleges Directory | Golf and Las Vegas | GPS Systems | Golf Carts | Polo Golf Shirts | Camcorders | Golf Tournaments

Arriving to conclusions can be considered the most difficult part of any form of writing. We felt the same here with this article on Recent Article On Earth Science. Hope you enjoyed it.