22 May 1960 – Chile Magnitude 9.5 The world’s most powerful earthquake left 4,485 people dead and injured and 2 million homeless after it struck southern Chile in 1960. The port of Puerto Saavedra was destroyed in the ensuing tsunami,…
This incredible picture shows the huge dust storm that swallowed up Phoenix in 2011. The violent sandstorm – also known as haboob – originated in Tucson and appeared to be 50 miles wide in some areas. The dust cloud reached…
An unexpected side-effect of the massive flooding that swamped one-fifth of Pakistan was that millions of spiders turned trees into cocoons. They crawled into trees to escape the rising flood waters. The gigantic spider web found in Texas is an…
Sun-warmed, humid soil can steam, so may a lake, sea or ocean if the air above it is sufficiently cold. “In the latter case, the phenomenon is commonly termed steam fog (if it occurs over fresh water) or sea smoke…
Racetrack, California, USA Who wouldn’t expect a few oddities in a place like California’s aptly named Death Valley? Prime among them is the mystery of the ‘racing’ stones in the valley’s remote north. These large, flat stones, some of which…
