Overview

People have weeks of warning prior to volcanic eruptions, days of warning before a blizzard, and hours of warning before tornadoes. But there is still no warning system at all for earthquakes, though they have killed millions, and millions more live in constant danger from them. In The Million Death Quake, British Geological Survey seismologist Roger Musson takes us on a riveting journey through earthquakes. After making plain the science behind quakes, he tackles how engineers are fighting to make our cities earthquake-proof and seismologists are searching for the sign hidden in nature that could be interpreted as a warning. Highlighting hotspots around the world from Bucharest to the Azores, and with the massive Haiti & Japan earthquakes still in recent memory, this is a fascinating exploration of the strangest and most violent of natural disasters.

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9780230119413

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<p> The Million Death Quake is an entertaining history of earthquakes, with both compelling stories of some of the deadliest disasters of all time and stories of how scientists very slowly came to understand what causes them. The author provides very clear scientific explanations of earthquakes and of the reasons why we still cannot predict them. Throughout the book Musson puts the entire subject in very human terms, emphasizing especially the important factor of population vulnerability. Because we cannot predict earthquakes our only progress in reducing earthquake deaths has been through improved building construction. But many densely populated cities lack such building improvements on a large enough scale, making possible the potential disaster that gives this book its title. --Bruce Parker, The Power of the Sea

<p> An authoritative and accessible investigation of one of nature's most destructive forces. -- Kirkus Reviews <p> Roger Musson has written a sobering assessment of the global hazards posed by earthquakes. He gives us an eloquent grounding in seismology based on science and history and confronts the questions of prediction and survival with balanced honesty. Buy a copy of this essential book and read it again and again. --Brian Fagan, author of Elixir: A History of Water and Humankind and The Little Ice Age <p> Geophysicist Roger Musson provides an insider's view of seismology, from riveting accounts of historic earthquakes to the sobering modern reality that as global population grows, future earthquakes could cause unprecedented devastation. But he also argues that lives can be saved -- if we have the political will -- through investment in earthquake engineering and real-time digital warning systems. Essential reading for policymakers, planners, builders, investors, and all citizens of this tectonically vigorous planet. --Marcia Bjornerud, author of Reading the Rocks <p> A solid look at a shaky topic that shows why the whole world is earthquake country when it comes to disaster prevention. -- David R. Montgomery, author of The Rocks Don't Lie: A Geologist Investigates Noah's Flood <p> The Million Death Quake is an entertaining history of earthquakes, with both compelling stories of some of the deadliest disasters of all time and stories of how scientists very slowly came to understand what causes them. The author provides very clear scientific explanations of earthquakes and of the reasons why we still cannot predict them. Throughout the book Musson puts the entire subject in very human terms, emphasizing especially the important factor of population vulnerability. Because we cannot predict earthquakes our only progress in reducing earthquake deaths has been through improved building construction. But many densely populated cities lack such buildingl

Author Information

Roger Musson is the Head of Seismic Hazard and Archives at the British Geological Survey, where he is the chief spokesman to the media after any major earthquake, including The Guardian, The Sunday Post, and The Telegraph. He has written op-eds for The New York Times, is a regular contributor to Fortean Times, and was interviewed by Time magazine after the Haiti earthquake. He has appeared on a variety of documentaries, including the National Geographic Channel. Musson is also on the editorial board for the Journal of Seismology, the Bulletin of Earthquake Engineering, and Natural Hazards. He lives in Edinburgh, Scotland.

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