Guides

The planet shakes far more often than the news suggests. Here is the real daily count, why most go unnoticed, and how to read a live feed.

Why a magnitude 7 is not just slightly bigger than a magnitude 6, plus what Richter, moment magnitude, and intensity actually measure.

Earthquakes are not random. They cluster along plate boundaries, and the Ring of Fire explains most of the big ones.

Drop, cover, and hold on is the advice that survives every revision. Here is why, plus what to skip.

After a big quake, the feed fills with smaller events for days or weeks. Here is what aftershocks are and how long they last.

Short version: no one can predict a specific quake. But forecasting probabilities and early warning are real and useful.