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Upsurge in big earthquakes predicted for 2018 as Earth rotation slows Scientists say number of severe quakes is likely to rise strongly next year because of a periodic slowing of the Earth’s rotation Scientists have warned there could be a big increase in numbers of devastating earthquakes around the world next year. They believe variations in the speed of Earth’s rotation could trigger intense seismic activity, particularly in heavily populated tropical regions. Although such fluctuations in rotation are small – changing the length of the day by a millisecond – they could still be implicated in the release of vast...

A mountain range once separated the continental interior of the U.S. from the Gulf of Mexico. Some clever geologic sleuthing has revealed how that barrier was breached, allowing the river to reach the Gulf... [S]omehow the once continuous Ouachita-Appalachian range was cleaved in two, leaving room for the Mississippi River to flow into the Gulf of Mexico. The explanation for the split, which the two of us have been investigating for most of the past decade, touches on many other mysteries of North American geology, too -- such as why you can find diamonds in Arkansas and why the largest...

After California quakes, attention turns to New Madrid zoneATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Recent earthquake activity in California has prompted fresh speculation about "the big one" -- an enormous quake along California's West Coast. A few have been large enough to shake the faith of skeptics -- a magnitude 7.2 quake on June 15, followed two days later by a magnitude 6.7, both off the coast near the California-Oregon border. Doomsayers have warned about the Pacific Coast for years. But only a few have raised concerns about an area with the potential to be more dangerous than California -- the New...

Thought I would ask some freepers, since we are all over the nation and beyond. Particularly interested in hearing from those who live near the regions specified. What is happening in your neck of the woods?

Region: ARKANSAS Geographic coordinates: 35.322N, 92.332W Magnitude: 3.0 M Depth: 4 km Universal Time (UTC): 10 Oct 2010 12:48:23

A mid-sized earthquake shook the Gulf of Mexico today. This is where it is geologically pretty stable. It is also right next to the huge salt domes where much of the oil and gas is being extracted. A retired geologist, Mr. Jack M. Reed, theorized there has to be a hidden tectonic plate segment in this spot and it is not only geologically active but is responsible for triggering the New Madrid Quakes.....