Volcanic Eruptions

10 years ago

Somewhere on earth, a volcanic eruption is either happening or about to happen. About 1,500 of them have erupted at…

Understanding Floods

10 years ago

Floods are not as costly nor are they as destructive, on average, as earthquakes. At the same time, they are…

Predicting Earthquakes

10 years ago

In spite of the fact that we know now exactly what causes earthquakes, their sudden, repetitive appearance is as disturbing…

Understanding Tsunamis

10 years ago

The word “tsunami” comes from Japan where it has always been a frequent visitor and where it originally meant a…

Understanding Earthquakes

10 years ago

To understand earthquakes and volcanic eruptions the fundamental role of tectonic plates needs to be examined. At their points of…

Laki Eruption 1783-1784

10 years ago

The spectacular explosions of volcanoes such as Vesuvius and Krakatoa may dominate the popular imagination, but the eruptions which occur…

The Black Death 1348-1350

10 years ago

Mid 14th century Europe was debilitated by years of war, the cruel winters of the ‘Little Ice Age’, poor harvests,…

The Plague of Justinian 541-542 AD

10 years ago

Although there is plenty of evidence that bubonic plague has been around for as long as mankind, the plague of…

Arson At The Heart Of The Roman Empire 64 AD

10 years ago

In AD 64 Rome was the greatest city in the Western world - the capital of an Empire approaching the…

Sultana Steamboat Tragedy – 1865

10 years ago

The bitter four-year civil war which had torn the American nation apart, pitting North against South, was finally over, and…