There is now in place an early warning system for major seismic events in Southern California: the “ShakeAlertLA” app. It will be able to provide a few valuable seconds or perhaps longer, for people to prepare. It is important to note, while such an “early warning system” exists, it does not, and may not ever, be capable of providing warnings of these events days, weeks, months or more in advance. Throughout the exploration of this often-discussed event, we will be exploring the legend of The Big One, the history behind California’s relationship with major earthquakes; and discuss concepts which may aid in further discovery, understanding, and scientific insight of this subject.
Collectively, as a society that has to face and deal with such horrible, yet seemingly inevitable natural disasters, I think we can agree it would be of great value if we were to have some sort of means for accurate prediction of these events set in place. The existence of such a methodology (whether precognitive and/or traditional science, e.g., seismology) would help with the necessary preparation for such a potentially catastrophic event. And it would also be possible this could result in the greater likelihood of saving many more lives. To be able to state with greater accuracy when and where such events will occur is the Future Dream of this writer, and the purpose for the pages which follow.
The Dream of the Earth
Humans aren’t the only ones who dream, all living creatures share in the experience of dreams. Whether actively, as your dog running in her sleep, or in a participatory way, by showing up as archetypes in our dreams. Mother Earth dreams as well. She dreams of a world where she is taken care of, nurtured and given the same mothering that she provided us with. Whether that dream will be lived out during our lifetime on Earth will depend on the choices we make each day.
However, the Earth doesn’t only dream, she is also alive. During her lifetime, which is inextricably linked to ours, she has many growing pains. As a direct result of thousands of years of growing, heating, cooling, and changing she has injuries and traumas that naturally occur sometimes. Extinction periods, Ice Ages, and great climactic upheaval—all play a part in her holistic healing. One of the most relevant examples of this is the presence of natural disasters.
Salient to our conversation and the name of this website will be one of the most profound expressions of Mother Earth’s beauty, tragedy, and long-term growth: earthquakes. These tremendously powerful displays of nature, disrupt, destroy, and rebuild the planet we live on. “Unpredictable”, these disasters can wreak havoc and chaos that is unprecedented, costly, and terrifying. If you are familiar with the name of this website, then you might have an inkling as to the subject matter ahead in our larger discussion of earthquakes. If not, this may be one of the most interesting things you read today.
In the pages that follow, we will be exploring the nature of recent earthquakes in California, the expectation for “The Big One,” and how that fits into a larger discussion on predicting earthquakes, understanding them, and making sense of how this all works together.
A Brief History of Some Major Earthquakes in CA
California is a hotbed for earthquakes, as anyone with a newspaper subscription, cable television service, or Wi-Fi is likely already aware. It seems like every year there is a new noteworthy earthquake somewhere in California. In order to understand more about why this is the case, it will be important to explore what earthquakes are, from a scientific standpoint, and then explain further why California is a prime location for their occurrence.