China Earthquake Coverage
Geologic Hazards
Flooding and Landslides in China’s Gansu Province, Zhouqu County
Over the past week there has been devastating flooding and landslides in the Gansu Province of China, particularly in Zhouqu county. According to BBC, the latest death toll numbers are at 1,239. Here are some […]
Geologic Hazards
New Research on Earthquake Induced Landslides
Some new research on the Newmark Displacement Method for earthquake-induced landslides indicates that the method may be on the unconservative side. The Landslide Blog provides a short summary of the paper by Li et al. (2018) that was recently […]
Geoarchaeology
Tectonics and Ancient Civilizations
A new study published in the current issue of Geoarchaeology claims that earthquake-prone areas along the edges of tectonic plates were far more likely to give birth to great ancient civilizations than less dynamic landscapes. The author of the paper, Eric Force, a (U of A Wildcat!) says that 13 of 15 ancient civilizations sites aren’t the product of chance. Instead, ancient people appear to have chosen to settle close to a tectonic plate boundary. The exceptions were in ancient China and Egypt. [Image Adapted from Eric R. Force, Geoarchaeology: An International Journal, 23 (2008)]