Understanding earthquakes
Plain-language guides to how earthquakes work — magnitude, depth, intensity and how to read the live seismic data on Tremor.
What Does a Magnitude 6 Earthquake Feel LikeA plain-language ladder from magnitude 3 to 9: what each size of earthquake actually feels like near the epicentre, and why distance and depth change it.Richter vs Moment Magnitude: What Mw MeansWhy seismologists replaced the Richter scale with moment magnitude, how the scales saturate, and why each step means about 32 times more energy released.The Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale (I to XII)The Modified Mercalli intensity scale from I to XII, in plain language, and why intensity describes shaking at a place while magnitude describes the quake.How Long Do Aftershocks LastHow long earthquake aftershocks last, why they follow Omori and Bath's laws, whether an aftershock can be bigger than the mainshock, and what to expect.Was That an Earthquake or Something ElseYou felt a jolt and are not sure it was an earthquake. A 60-second checklist to tell a quake from a truck, blast, or sonic boom, and how to confirm it.