News tagged with catastrophes
Brussels unhappy with Europe nuclear stress tests
The EU's energy chief Thursday deemed an almost year-long study on nuclear plant safety in Europe as short on detail and numbers and demanded further work before publication of the critical report.
Technology / Energy & Green Tech
Apr 26, 2012 |
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New evidence argues against prehistoric extraterrestrial impact event
(Phys.org) -- Evidence used to support a possible extraterrestrial impact event is likely the result of natural processes, according to a new collaborative study led by U.S. Geological Survey scientists.
Space & Earth / Earth Sciences
Apr 23, 2012 |
4.5 / 5 (17) |
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New fracture analysis plan would change bridge fabrication, inspection
One size does not fit all. By adding the word "not", this now completely revised adage rings true for at least one civil engineer.
Dec 12, 2011 |
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Volcanic destruction? Not always
For many, the story of Pompeii defines what happens when a volcano erupts: It destroys everything in its path and kills everyone who cannot escape.
Space & Earth / Earth Sciences
Dec 02, 2011 |
4.5 / 5 (4) |
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Swiss nuclear shutdown to cost $22.5bn: study
Shutting down Switzerland's five nuclear power stations will cost about 20.7 billion Swiss francs (16.8 billion euros, $22.5 billion) and take about 20 years, Swiss authorities said on Thursday.
Technology / Energy & Green Tech
Nov 24, 2011 |
2.3 / 5 (3) |
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Massive volcanoes, meteorite impacts delivered one-two death punch to dinosaurs: study
(PhysOrg.com) -- A cosmic one-two punch of colossal volcanic eruptions and meteorite strikes likely caused the mass-extinction event at the end of the Cretaceous period that is famous for killing the dinosaurs ...
Space & Earth / Earth Sciences
Nov 17, 2011 |
5 / 5 (10) |
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France must improve nuke plants 'without delay'
France must immediately improve safety at its nuclear power plants so they can deal with natural disasters in the wake of Japan's Fukushima accident, an industry body said Thursday.
Technology / Energy & Green Tech
Nov 17, 2011 |
5 / 5 (1) |
1
Battered Tharsis Tholus volcano on Mars
(PhysOrg.com) -- The latest image released from Mars Express reveals a large extinct volcano that has been battered and deformed over the aeons.
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Nov 09, 2011 |
3.7 / 5 (3) |
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Possible trigger for volcanic 'super-eruptions' found
The "super-eruption" of a major volcanic system occurs about every 100,000 years and is considered one of the most catastrophic natural events on Earth, yet scientists have long been unsure about what triggers ...
Space & Earth / Earth Sciences
Oct 12, 2011 |
4.9 / 5 (22) |
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Luminous grains of sand determine year of historic storm flood
Scientists at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft, The Netherlands) have successfully matched a layer of sediment from the dunes near Heemskerk to a severe storm flood that occurred in either 1775 or 1776. This type ...
Space & Earth / Earth Sciences
Oct 11, 2011 |
5 / 5 (1) |
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Maybe Ben Franklin was wrong: A volcanic eruption, climate fluctuations and the frigid winter of 1783-84
The eruption of the Laki volcano in Iceland in 1783-84 set off a cascade of catastrophe, spewing sulfuric clouds into Europe and eventually around the world. Poisonous mists and a resulting famine from loss ...
Space & Earth / Earth Sciences
Sep 21, 2011 |
4 / 5 (3) |
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Honduran earthquake of 2009 destroyed half of coral reefs of Belizean Barrier Reef lagoon
Earth's coral reefs have not been faring well in recent decades, facing multiple threats from pollution, disease, elevated water temperatures, and overfishing. Often referred to as the "rainforests of the Sea," coral reefs ...
Sep 12, 2011 |
4 / 5 (1) |
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Researcher finds 9/11 attacks led to new understanding of mass trauma
(PhysOrg.com) -- Out of the wreckage of the World Trade Center attacks and the events of 9/11 came some of the first large-scale research of mass trauma. The resulting findings have led to a broader understanding of how post-traumatic ...
Other Sciences / Social Sciences
Sep 02, 2011 |
5 / 5 (1) |
1
Scientists must leave the ivory tower and become advocates, or civilization is endangered, says Stanford biologist
Scientists, especially ecologists, have to be more active in explaining the meaning of their research results to the public if human behavior is going to change in time to prevent a planetary catastrophe, ...
Aug 12, 2011 |
4 / 5 (21) |
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Japan quake makes 2011 costliest disaster year
Japan's earthquake in March is set to make 2011 the costliest year to date for natural disasters, reinsurer Munich Re said on Tuesday, although the number of deaths globally is relatively low so far.
Space & Earth / Earth Sciences
Jul 12, 2011 |
5 / 5 (1) |
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Disaster
A disaster is a natural or man-made hazard that has come to fruition, resulting in an event of substantial extent causing significant physical damage or destruction, loss of life, or drastic change to the environment. A disaster can be ostensively defined as any tragic event with great loss stemming from events such as earthquakes, floods, catastrophic accidents, fires, or explosions.
In contemporary academia, disasters are seen as the consequence of inappropriately managed risk. These risks are the product of hazards and vulnerability. Hazards that strike in areas with low vulnerability are not considered a disaster, as is the case in uninhabited regions.
Developing countries suffer the greatest costs when a disaster hits – more than 95 percent of all deaths caused by disasters occur in developing countries and underdeveloped countries, and losses due to natural disasters are 20 times greater (as a percentage of GDP) in developing countries than in industrialized countries.
For more information about Disaster, read the full article at
Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.
