New evidence continues to arise of the San Andreas fault continuing a period of "after slip" after the 6.0 Parkfield earthquake in 2004. The fault is found to continue slipping, with evidence of it moving as much as 5cm in one day. This raises more questions about the extent of damage to buildings along the fault line, even 12 years after the damaging earthquake. Such a degree of slipping is a problem for California residents as many buildings and cities are built right on top of fault lines. Continued slipping will only cause more damage and run up expenses. There does not have to be an earthquake for damage to occur.
Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/04/170417144928.htm
0 Comments
50 year's have passed since the continental drift theory first began to gain acceptance. This is an important time period because the geologic community was completely split between those who found evidence of drift "formidable" and those who did not. As we now know, continental drift is found to be the cause of many of our environmental occurrences such as earth quakes and volcanoes. This is important because it shows how far we have come in knowledge about our world in just fifty years. It shows that even when people laugh at an idea, it may be so important that it could radically change a field of study. Never give up on your dream.
Source: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/50-years-ago-continental-drift-began-gain-acceptance?mode=topic&context=60 Source: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/plot-twist-methane-mystery-blames-chemistry-not-emissions-recent-rise
Two recent independent studies may explain the rise in Methane levels in the atmosphere. Levels of the molecule Hydroxyl, have dropped about 8 percent since 2007. This molecule is known to destroy Methane, which might explain why Methane levels have steadily risen while emissions have dropped slightly. The two studies propose that the Hydroxyl decline slowed the breakdown of atmospheric methane, boosting levels of the greenhouse gas. This information is useful because one resolution to our Methane level problem in the atmosphere may be to increase Hydroxyl levels. Of course any tampering with chemical levels in the atmosphere will have unseen consequences so we must continue research and be vigilant in our search for an impossible solution. |
Archives
April 2017
Categories |