Natural Disasters

Untold tsunamis hit coastal communities before anyone logged them in written records. Paleotsunami researchers are on a quest to uncover these forgotten disasters.

These Tsunami Detectives Search for Ancient Disasters

The gigantic waves have been decimating coastlines since time immemorial. We ignore these prehistoric warnings at our own peril.

Dig Tsho, a glacial lake in Nepal that burst in August 1985

Fifteen Million People at Risk of Severe Floods From Melting Glaciers

Rising temperatures could worsen glacial lake outbursts, unleashing massive inland waves on downstream communities, a study finds

The damaged castle following the earthquakes on February 6

Earthquakes Damage 2,000-Year-Old Castle in Turkey

The 7.8-magnitude quake also harmed other historic structures throughout Turkey and Syria

Rescue workers and volunteers conduct search and rescue operations in the rubble of a collasped building in Diyarbakir, Turkey. 

7.8-Magnitude Earthquake Felt 'Like the Apocalypse' in Turkey and Syria

The death toll has risen to at least 3,000 following one of the largest quakes recorded in the region

Two cars lie in a sinkhole in suburban Los Angeles on January 10. The four passengers were taken to the hospital with minor injuries. 

California Reeling From Extreme Storms With Three More on the Way

The severe weather has caused flooding, landslides, evacuations and at least 18 deaths

The courtyard of the House of the Vettii in Pompeii

See the Lavish Pompeii Home Owned by Two Men Freed From Slavery

After two decades, the newly restored House of the Vettii is officially open to visitors

Volunteers and archaeologists dug a trench to reveal more about the mysterious wooden structure emerging from the sand.

Cool Finds

Hurricanes Reveal 19th-Century Shipwreck Hidden Beneath Florida Beach

After two recent storms, a mysterious structure began to emerge

The Grand Prismatic Spring inside Yellowstone National Park

A Surprising Amount of Magma Is Under Yellowstone’s Supervolcano

New research suggests more melted rock lies beneath the Yellowstone Caldera—but it’s still not likely to erupt anytime soon

An aerial photo taken at 7:15 a.m. Hawaii Standard Time on Monday shows the northeast rift zone eruption of Mauna Loa. 

Hawaii’s Mauna Loa Volcano Gushes Lava, Threatening Major Highway

The world’s largest active volcano is erupting for the first time since 1984

A red-eyed treefrog hangs on to a leaf in Costa Rica.

Why Frogs Survived the Asteroid That Wiped Out the Dinosaurs

Not too big, not too small—they were just the right size to live through Earth’s worst day

A house damaged by last week's earthquake.

What Made Indonesia’s Recent Earthquake So Deadly?

The 5.6-magnitude earthquake that rocked the island of Java last week has killed at least 321 people

The newly unearthed odeon in Crete

Cool Finds

Archaeologists Unearth 2,000-Year-Old Odeon in Crete

The dig at the remote site is the first in more than 50 years

One reader wonders: Have any Native American nations been governed by women? 

Have Women Ever Run a Native American Nation? And More Questions From Our Readers

You've got questions. We've got experts

Floods stranded people in Kogi, Nigeria, on October 6.

Nigeria Is Facing Its Worst Flooding in a Decade

The disaster has killed 603 people and displaced more than one million residents

Moai statues on Easter Island

Fire Irreversibly Damages Easter Island Statues

The isolated island is home to hundreds of the mysterious monuments

Sarasota, Florida, experienced wind and rain on Wednesday morning as Hurrican Ian approached. 

Hurricane Ian Slams Cuba, Heads for Florida’s West Coast

The storm approached Florida as a Category 4 hurricane, with top winds reaching 155 miles per hour

A NASA Earth Observatory satellite captured an image of the eruption on September 14. The greener, discolored water near the eruption site likely contains particulate matter, rock fragments and sulfur from the volcano. 

Volcanic Eruption Creates a New Island in the South Pacific

The growing land mass is larger than 8 acres and visible from space

Climate disasters, like flooding in Pakistan, have led to climate justice advocates pushing for "loss and damage" to be paid to developing countries.

Denmark Will Pay ‘Loss and Damage’ to Developing Countries for Climate Change Impacts

The country has pledged $13 million, which will go to the Sahel region in northwestern Africa and other impacted areas

Bad Bunny, a global reggaeton sensation whose latest album just topped the Billboard 200 for the 11th week, released a short documentary on Puerto Rico’s infrastructure failures and gentrification.

Bad Bunny's Latest Music Video Doubles as a Documentary on Gentrification in Puerto Rico

Amid Hurricane Fiona, the artist combines his music with an 18-minute film by reporter Bianca Graulau

A flooded road in Villa Blanca, Puerto Rico, on Sept. 18, 2022 due to Hurricane Fiona. 

Hurricane Fiona Causes 'Catastrophic' Damage in Puerto Rico

The island faces major blackouts, and it could be several days before all the lights are back on

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