Geologists 'resurrect' missing tectonic plate

The existence of a tectonic plate called Resurrection has long been a topic of debate among geologists, with some arguing it was never real. Others say it subducted—moved sideways and downward—into the earth's mantle ...

New Madrid fault system may be shutting down

(PhysOrg.com) -- The New Madrid fault system does not behave as earthquake hazard models assume and may be in the process of shutting down, a new study shows.

Scientists already making discoveries in wake of Japan's temblor

Friday's 8.9-magnitude temblor off the east coast of Japan ranks as one of the 10-largest earthquakes ever recorded. Though scientists have just begun to pore over the data, they have already made some surprising discoveries ...

Witness the birth of Africa’s new ocean

(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists at the University of Leeds are predicting that within 10 million years Africa’s Horn will fall away and a new ocean will form.

Ancient drop of water rewrites Earth's history

The remains of a microscopic drop of ancient seawater has assisted in rewriting the history of Earth's evolution when it was used to re-establish the time that plate tectonics started on the planet.

Earthquake potential where there is no earthquake history

It may seem unlikely that a large earthquake would take place hundreds of kilometers away from a tectonic plate boundary, in areas with low levels of strain on the crust from tectonic motion. But major earthquakes such as ...

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