The University of Huddersfield's Global Disaster Resilience Centre is helping Sri Lanka prepare for and deal with pandemics following a £166,000 award from the UK Research and Innovation. The project aims to improve COVID-19 and pandemic preparedness and response through a multi-hazard early warning system.
Researchers at Aarhus University have developed a new technique for compressing data from the Internet of Things (IoT) devices. The method enables random access to compressed files, reducing the need to decompress large amounts of data for analysis.
Researchers used data gathered before a 2017 deadly landslide in Greenland to demonstrate the effectiveness of deep learning in predicting seismic events. The study found weak but repetitive rumblings that accelerated over time, leading to the landslide, which could be detected by AI.
The Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant's stored contaminated wastewater contains multiple radioactive isotopes with varying levels of risk. These include tritium, a relatively short-lived isotope, and other isotopes like carbon-14, cobalt-60, and strontium-90, which pose more complex hazards to humans and the environment.
Researchers from the University of Warwick analyze sedimentary ancient DNA from Doggerland, revealing insights into a 8150-year-old tsunami and its impact on the region. The study develops new methods for authenticating ancient DNA, including metagenomic assessment methodology.
Scientists found impressive reefs with diverse coral communities but few fish, particularly near coastal communities. The research provides critical baseline data to monitor changes and inform management plans for conservation.
A study by Shinshu University researchers used input-output analysis to quantify economic damage from Japan's earthquakes. The study found that the largest earthquakes require significant economic assistance for initial production and recovery, with some requiring up to 50% of initial production until recovery.
A new model developed by Duke University engineers can accurately recreate the dynamics of historic and current landslides, pointing to the temperature of a thin layer of clay as critical to its potential for sudden cataclysmic failure. The approach is being used to monitor an evolving landslide in Andorra.
Research led by Brown University researchers suggests that past stressors sensitize people to future traumas, increasing their chances of developing a mental health disorder. The study found that individuals with multiple pre-disaster stressors were at a greater risk of developing post-disaster mental health disorders.
A study published in Critical Care Medicine reveals that the actual mortality rate of adults with critical illness from COVID-19 is lower than previously reported, at 35.7%, compared to earlier reports of a 50 percent mortality rate. About 60 percent of patients survived to hospital discharge.
A Florida State University researcher has identified 85 previously unknown submarine landslides in the Gulf of Mexico between 2008 and 2015. These landslides pose significant risks to coastal communities and seabed infrastructure, including oil platforms and pipelines.
Comparing lockdowns across nations reveals no consistent advantage of extreme versus limited social distancing measures, highlighting the need for a standardized approach. The study emphasizes the importance of balancing public health and socio-economic costs in reopening strategies.
Researchers report that tsunami mitigation parks can effectively reduce damage from waves with amplitudes comparable to the hill height. The study highlights the need for buffer zones behind these hills to mitigate enhanced damage in their immediate vicinity.
A new study by Stanford researchers suggests that park-like tsunami defenses, featuring strategically arranged green hills along coastlines, can provide an effective alternative to towering seawalls. These designs prioritize coastal access, ecological function, and community well-being while offering improved risk mitigation benefits.
Researchers found large-scale wobbling in the Earth's surface near plate boundaries before massive Chile and Japan quakes. The study suggests that periods of enhanced tugging may accelerate the inevitable failure at shallower segments of the subduction zone, leading to great earthquakes.
A critical care surgery team has developed a tiered approach to triage surgical cases and manage hospital resources during the COVID-19 pandemic. The plan includes reassigning surgeons, deferring non-emergency operations, and considering 'battlefield promotion' for senior residents.
Cervical cancer screening rates dropped by over 3% in four areas of Miyagi Prefecture after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, with rates still lower five years later. Long-term monitoring is needed to restore screening rates in affected areas.
Research from a global team of scientists found that diverse rock types at New Zealand's largest fault contribute to varying earthquake types. Slow slip events and tsunami-generating tremors are linked to the unique properties of each rock type.
Researchers found that the angle at which the ocean plate dives under the continental plate may have gradually shallowed out over millions of years, leading to the formation of an extensional fault that could have magnified the tsunami. The study used computer models and various data sets to support its findings.
Experiments on a simple model for granular cliffs reveal the mechanism by which these cliffs collapse and create large, tsunami-like waves known as impulse waves. The shape of the granular particles and pile height-to-width ratio were found to be critical in determining the types of waves produced.
A new study examines how smallholder farmers integrate into global markets, revealing that their ability to seize control can lead to better economic, social, and environmental outcomes. The integrated framework of telecoupling shows surprising truths about the complex interactions between farmers and external pressures.
A new algorithm can detect changes in gravity caused by earthquakes, potentially leading to earlier warnings and more accurate predictions. The signal is generated by the sudden shift in the earth's internal mass during an earthquake, and its detection could help identify strong earthquakes that may trigger tsunamis.
Researchers found multiple faults with evidence of over 10 meters of slip during past large earthquakes in the Japan Trench fault zone, revealing a complex history of seismic activity. The technique used to analyze organic molecules in sedimentary rocks provides new insights into the likelihood of future tsunamis and earthquake hazards.
Researchers have successfully created optical supramolecules using tightly bound optical solitons in lasers, mimicking natural molecular systems. This breakthrough enables the storage and manipulation of encoded information within these complex arrays.
A new study has recalculated the magnitude of the Great Lisbon Earthquake from 8.5 to 9.0 to 7.7 using macroseismic data from Portugal, Spain, and Morocco. The analysis suggests that the earthquake's epicenter was offshore the southwestern Iberian Peninsula and may have involved faulting onshore.
A hybrid approach combining mangroves, coral reefs and man-made solutions can protect coastal communities from disaster while preserving biodiversity. The study suggests ecosystem-based protection should be the basis for a coastal protection strategy, making it more cost-efficient and better protecting valuable ecosystems.
A secure data backup system has been developed to store and restore medical records via a satellite link, enabling prompt restoration within 9 seconds. The system uses secret sharing and secure communications technologies to protect confidential personal information.
Researchers at the University of South Florida have successfully developed and tested a new seafloor geodesy system that can detect small movements in the Earth's seafloor, potentially improving forecasting of earthquakes and tsunamis. The buoy, anchored on the sea floor with precision GPS, has been producing data on three-dimensional ...
A recent study by University of Bonn researchers suggests that a massive tsunami struck the coast of Oman around 1,000 years ago, with waves reaching up to 15 meters high. The findings emphasize the importance of developing an effective early warning system for the region to mitigate devastating consequences.
A new research project aims to improve natural disaster emergency preparedness and response in countries badly affected by earthquakes, flooding, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis. The RESPOND-OR project will investigate issues relating to emergency response management of large-scale natural disasters in Indonesia and Sudan.
A two-legged robot named Little Hermes has been developed to walk, run, jump and interact with the environment synchronously with a human operator. The robot is guided by a person from a remote location who feels the same physical forces as the robot.
Researchers at GFZ Potsdam identified clear warning signs before the Anak Krakatau volcano's flank collapse, which triggered a deadly tsunami. The study analyzed data from various sources, including satellites and seismic data, to better understand the event and improve early warning systems for other volcanoes.
A new study suggests that tsunamis after the Great Alaskan Earthquake of 1964 brought a tropical fungus ashore, leading to subsequent outbreaks of often-fatal infections among people in coastal regions. The fungus, Cryptococcus gattii, is typically found in warm climates but was discovered in the Pacific Northwest region.
Scientists confirm scenario that dinosaurs died due to global cooling after asteroid impact, with rocks recording wildfires and sulfur absence within 24 hours. The research provides the most detailed look yet into the aftermath of the catastrophe.
Researchers analyzed core samples from the Chicxulub impact crater, revealing that top layers contained soil biomarkers suggesting a tsunami brought terrestrial material back to the site. The study also found evidence of impact-induced wildfires and a lack of sulfur-rich evaporites, implying a massive release of sulfate aerosols.
The researchers identified underlying causes of the deadly Palu earthquake and tsunami using coupled computer models. The team found that the earthquake-induced movement of the seafloor beneath Palu Bay itself could have generated the tsunami, meaning landslides contributed less to its formation than previously thought.
Researchers analyzed past major earthquakes in Mexico and Chile to understand earthquake cycles and calculate future seismic hazards. The data also helped develop new ideas about the physical processes involved in seismic rupture, geometry of subduction, and tsunami generation in the region.
Researchers reconstructed the Anak Krakatau flank collapse using satellite remote sensing data, finding it was triggered by a relatively small landslide. The study shows that the collapse changed the eruption style, leading to a more explosive and destructive event.
Researchers analyzed gravel samples from three tsunami events and found a common change in composition approximately 40% of the way inland. This 'Tsunami Gravel Inflection Point' helps estimate ancient tsunami sizes, expanding research on disaster mitigation and coastal planning.
A team of researchers at Oregon State University has developed a new method for studying tsunami risk to coastal infrastructure. The technique uses a centrifuge to simulate the effects of tsunami waves on soil, allowing for more accurate modeling and potential engineering solutions.
Researchers at Arizona State University have discovered the largest known impact crater in the US, which was formed 35 million years ago and lies buried beneath the Chesapeake Bay. The crater's age was determined using a new dating technique, providing valuable insights into the Earth's history.
Researchers at TU Wien have developed a method to manipulate the 'branched flow' of waves, which can be exploited to send waves along specific paths. The technique uses numerical simulations to calculate the optimal wave shape and can be applied to various types of waves, including light, sound, and sonar waves.
Researchers have created a new type of electronic memory device that consumes significantly less energy than current devices, potentially reducing peak power consumption in data centres by a fifth. The invention could transform daily life with its ability to enable computers to instantly go into an energy-saving sleep mode.
A team of scientists has simulated tsunamis in the Gulf of Elat-Aqaba using a GeoClaw modeling program and concluded that future tsunami hazards are possible. The region's economic importance is heightened by its growing shipping ports, tourism, and water and electrical projects.
A 14th-century tsunami devastated coastal settlements in Sumatra, leading to a shift in the region's political economy. The disaster redirected history, paving the way for the formation of the Aceh sultanate.
A 2019 study found evidence of sporadic, small landslides preceding a massive one on Ritter Island, sparking interest in whether slow landslides reduce the risk of catastrophic collapses. Researchers measured seismic activity and deformation patterns to understand the island's dynamics.
Researchers from Hokkaido University used underwater pressure sensors to measure the volume of icebergs breaking off from a glacier, finding a positive correlation with wave amplitude. The study also revealed that submarine melting caused most of the mass loss at the glacier front.
Seafloor mapping reveals active fault zones with potential to trigger tsunamis in the central Salish Sea, affecting islands and coastal areas of the US. Researchers warn of increased tsunami risk due to recent fault activity and unstable Cascadia Subduction Zone.
Researchers have discovered that tsunami-like solitary waves, known as clusters, move in synchrony with each other. The findings were made possible by observing how the waves behave when they occur in a series, revealing intriguing patterns of movement and coordination.
Fossils found in North Dakota's Tanis site reveal creatures killed suddenly by the Chicxulub impact's aftereffects, with some fish inhaling tiny spherules ejected from the impact. The rapid 'bloody nose' effect caused devastation worldwide before other aftermath could reach affected areas.
Researchers have developed a new method to design systems with greater disaster resistance and resilience by incorporating negative probability. This method models correlated disruptions as independent impacts on virtual supporting stations, reducing complexity and enabling easier calculation of probabilities.
A team of geophysicists from LMU München used simulations to study the 2016 Kaikoura earthquake, which ruptured over 20 fault segments. The model showed that a weakly loaded fault was boosted by gradual slippage and low frictional resistance.
A team at Chalmers University of Technology has proposed creating ultra-intense light pulses to study interactions between matter and light. These pulses can be used to probe and control matter in unique ways, offering new insights into material science and quantum states.
Researchers have found a smoking gun linking a young exoplanet's misaligned orbit to a close stellar flyby. The study, published in the Astronomical Journal, suggests that such encounters can reshape planetary systems and determine their ability to harbor stable orbits.
Researchers at UTSA are working on new accident tolerant fuels (ATFs) that will limit overheating and reduce the risk of radioactive leaks. The goal is to replace conventional fuel with a more durable material, enabling nuclear plants to better withstand accidents.
Researchers analyzed the Sulawesi island earthquake to identify its propagation speed of 4.1 km/s, which falls between seismic wave speeds. The study's findings suggest that steady rupture at unexpected speeds can occur on damaged rocks and may enhance cascading effects.
A study found a 10% reduction in monthly birth rates in Fukushima City following the 2011 nuclear disaster, but rates recovered similar to pre-disaster levels after several years. The authors suggest this may indicate post-disaster rebuilding efforts.
Researchers created a model of the volcanic flank collapse caused by the eruption, predicting maximum wave heights and impact zones. The study aims to improve tsunami preparedness in the United States with advanced models and simulations.
Researchers at Oregon State University have developed a new, physics-based methodology to design bridge connections and steel bearings to better withstand tsunamis. Their study found that the transmission of forces to supporting substructures changes significantly with modifications to vertical and horizontal stiffness.
A team suggests that a supernova or series of supernovae may have caused mass extinctions of large ocean animals, including the massive shark species Megalodon. The energy from these cosmic events would have triggered climate change and increased cancer rates in larger animals due to penetrating particles called muons.