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Once and Future Tsunamis


Wave That Shook the World homepage

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All tsunamis are, by definition, big events. Their fuel is a major geologic disturbance—a landslide, volcanic eruption, earthquake, or even meteor impact—that displaces huge amounts of water. Their power is so intense that it can make civilization appear remarkably fragile, even in the 21st century. But some tsunamis are bigger than others, either in terms of their destructive power, or because of what they can tell scientists about the nature and potential of catastrophic waves. In this interactive, explore key tsunamis dating from 3.5 billion years ago right through possible future events, and discover what experts have learned and continue to learn from studying them. To launch the interactive, click on the image at left.—Lexi Krock

  

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