One Third of the Largest Earthquakes Since 1900 - Have Occurred Since 2000

Thanks for the research. Interesting. End of the world ? No.

Your welcome,

Huh just realized too that all 5 of the 9.?'s have happened in the last 60 years and of that...2 have happened in the last 6 years! Interesting!

you forgot the NEGLIGENCE of last years spill

1. Don't be an idiot.

2. It isn't quite a 3rd (see previous point)

3. The 50's and 60's account for over 40%, including the 2 strongest - was the world ending then too?

4. Do you REALLY think we were as good at detecting earthquakes back then as we have been the last decade or so?

5. These things go in spurts. Why are you acting like frightened children?

6. See first point.

Wow you can count exxellent what about the earthquakes since 1000000 years ago?

What you are really seeing is small number bias. The number of earthquakes above 8.5 is very small. The USGS site

[link to earthquake.usgs.gov]

lists only 24 earthquakes 8.5 and above since 1700. The distribution shows three in the 1700s, two in the 1800s, thirteen in the 1900s, and so far five in 2000s.

But the large earthquakes do show clustering. Between 1920 and 1938 there where four 8.5+ earthquakes. Between 1950 and 1965 there were seven. And of course between 2004 and 2011 five.

What is interesting is the gaps. A 12 year period (1938-1950) with no 8.5+ earthquakes. Then a 39 year period between 1965 and 2004 without large earthquakes.

There are theories that say that the Earth stores up the strain and then releases them in a number of closely spaced in time events. But again, the numbers are so small it is hard to generate statistical significance to apparent patterns. It will take further study to understand if these patterns are real or just a statitical run, like 10 heads on a coin toss in a row.

Last Edited by Commutator on 04/08/2011 06:42 PM