Nature's Archive #111: Earthquakes: Myths, Surprises, and Hidden Dangers with Dr. Wendy Bohon
Today’s guest is the brilliant Dr. Wendy Bohon, an earthquake geologist who has a passion for making the complexities of our planet accessible and engaging. Dr. Bohon is known for her dynamic science communication - in fact, you may have seen her viral videos through her Dr Wendy Rocks channels on YouTube and other social media.
Today, Dr. Bohon delves into the fascinating world of geology and earthquakes, exploring their impact on our environment and society.
In this episode, you'll discover how earthquakes occur, how earthquake geologists figure out how often faults rupture through fascinating paleoseismology, and what terms like magnitude and epicenter really mean, and how they can mislead us, too!
And did you know that the Richter Scale is actually no longer used? In fact, it began phasing out of use in the 1980s! What’s replaced it? Check in around 49 minutes to hear the story. In fact, it turns out that earthquake magnitude is a pretty poor way of understanding earthquake impacts. Dr. Bohon has some excellent metaphors to help us visualize what really happens to a fault during an earthquake rupture.
Dr. Bohon also tackles common myths about earthquakes, from breaking down the misconception of earthquake weather to clarifying the real risks of seismic events. For example, did you know that in some respects, people in the eastern United States face greater potential impacts from earthquakes? We discuss how you can prepare.
And can people cause earthquakes? The answer is a resounding yes. But can we use that power to release pressures in fault systems and avoid “the big one?” - well, you’ll have to listen to find out.
Today's episode was one of the most fun ones that I've done in a long time.
You can find Dr. Wendy Bohon at wendybohon.com, and DrWendyRocks on YouTube, Instagram, and BlueSky, and DrWendyRocksIt on TikTok. I promise you - her content is great, so check her out.
LINKS
Earthquakes in All The States - Dr. Bohon's YouTube series
LESSONS FROM COVID-19 LOCKDOWNS WITH RASPBERRY SHAKES
My Shake App - free earthquake warning app
Putting Down Roots in Earthquake Country - a great FREE resource for anyone with earthquake hazards (i.e. nearly everyone)
Raspberry Shake - make your own at-home seismometer
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Music: Spellbound by Brian Holtz Music
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Artist site: https://brianholtzmusic.com
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Check past Nature's Archive episodes for amazing guests like Doug Tallamy, Elaine Ingham, and Rae Wynn-Grant, covering topics from bird migration to fungi to frogs and bats!