{"product_id":"quakeland-isbn-9780525955184","title":"Quakeland","description":"\u003cb\u003eA journey around the United States in search of the truth about the threat of earthquakes leads to spine-tingling discoveries, unnerving experts, and ultimately the kind of preparations that will actually help guide us through disasters. It’s a road trip full of surprises.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Earthquakes. You need to worry about them only if you’re in San Francisco, right? Wrong. We have been making enormous changes to subterranean America, and Mother Earth, as always, has been making some of her own. . . . The consequences for our real estate, our civil engineering, and our communities will be huge because they will include earthquakes most of us do not expect and cannot imagine—at least not without reading \u003ci\u003eQuakeland\u003c\/i\u003e. Kathryn Miles descends into mines in the Northwest, dissects Mississippi levee engineering studies, uncovers the horrific risks of an earthquake in the Northeast, and interviews the seismologists, structual engineers, and emergency managers around the country who are addressing this ground shaking threat. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAs Miles relates, the era of human-induced earthquakes began in 1962 in Colorado after millions of gallons of chemical-weapon waste was pumped underground in the Rockies. More than 1,500 quakes over the following seven years resulted. The Department of Energy plans to dump spent nuclear rods in the same way. Evidence of fracking’s seismological impact continues to mount. . . . Humans as well as fault lines built our “quakeland”.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e What will happen when Memphis, home of FedEx's 1.5-million-packages-a-day hub, goes offline as a result of an earthquake along the unstable Reelfoot Fault? FEMA has estimated that a modest 7.0 magnitude quake (twenty of these happen per year around the world) along the Wasatch Fault under Salt Lake City would put a $33 billion dent in our economy. When the Fukushima  reactor melted down, tens of thousands were displaced. If New York’s Indian Point nuclear power plant blows, ten million people will be displaced. How would that evacuation even begin?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Kathryn Miles’ tour of our land is as fascinating and frightening as it is irresistibly compelling.“[Miles] peppers her book with quick bits of information about scientists and the work they do in eservice of understanding our planet and its earthquakes. … Her book becomes, in part, a love letter to the tedium and wizardry that is scientific discovery.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e—The New York Times Book Review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“That fear you feel? It's intended... \u003ci\u003eQuakeland \u003c\/i\u003eseeks to rattle us free of the ignorance, uncertainty and short memory that have paralyzed plans for prevention and survival.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e—Time Magazine\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Miles’s treatment of earthquake mechanics is clear and crisp... Does she succeed in shaking us out of our complacency? I will confess that, although I don’t live in a seismic hot zone, the day I finished reading “Quakeland” I found myself in a grocery store stocking up on bottled water.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e—Wall Street Journal\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“an earthquake-themed road trip that is popular science in the Mary Roach mold: the writer as intrepid explorer of science and amiable, wisecracking proxy for the lay reader.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e—Oregonian\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"fascinating and frightening... a startling reality check.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e—Christian Science Monitor\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Thanks largely to Miles’s conversational, somehow cheery writing style, I was riveted throughout and heartily recommend this book to people living everywhere. For policymakers, \u003ci\u003eQuakeland\u003c\/i\u003e should be required reading.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e—Sierra Magazine\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e“\u003c\/i\u003e[\u003ci\u003eQuakeland\u003c\/i\u003e] takes the form of a road trip to visit seismic disasters both past and potential, and seismologists and earthquake engineers who have first-hand knowledge of them. Their colourful personalities, opinions and prejudices tell a story of scientific discovery and engineering remedy... a engaging read.” \u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e—Nature\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“\u003ci\u003eQuakeland\u003c\/i\u003e is everything a popular science book should be: well-researched, anecdotal, sometimes humorous, and easily understood.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e—Shelf Awareness\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Quakeland is a mesmerizing, eye-opening read—not only for those interested in science but for anyone who wants to be better informed about these enigmatic phenomena.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e—Bookpage\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Engrossing, timely, thoroughly researched… Smart, compelling, and fearless in its embrace of science, \u003ci\u003eQuakeland \u003c\/i\u003eis full of fascinating people imparting big truths. We ignore their knowledge at our peril.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e—Booklist\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e“Accessible... Readers interested in the history of plate tectonics, seismic risk, and our society’s vulnerability would likely enjoy...”\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e—Science\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Journalist Kathryn Miles charms and entertains as she crisscrosses the US, talks with experts, draws deft profiles of scientists and engineers and citizens, heads deep into mines or the NYC subway system and ultimately makes clear that earthquakes are the least trackable natural disaster and are NOT just a problem for San Franciscans… And somehow she does it with a light touch, though any homeowners will be sure to check up on their insurance plan right after reading it....\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e—\u003c\/i\u003eHuffington Post\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“A wide-ranging account of earthquakes, the least understood of natural disasters, with vivid stories of the havoc they create and a warning about what will someday happen in the United States… readable and engaging—not to mention eye-opening, as the author delivers a firm warning to policymakers as well as individual citizens.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e—Kirkus Reviews\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Mixing geological primer with apocalyptic warning, Miles makes clear “how fragile—and volatile—the ground beneath our feet really is.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e—Publishers Weekly\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"It would be hard to imagine a more vividly readable extended warning than this book by Kathryn Miles, but \u003ci\u003eQuakeland\u003c\/i\u003e makes one conclusion all but inescapable: nobody’s listening.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e—Open Letters Monthly\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“\u003ci\u003eQuakeland\u003c\/i\u003e by Kathryn Miles scared the hell out of me. If you think earthquakes happen only in California, you need to read this book. What an eye opener! Based on the latest unimpeachable and carefully sourced scientific research, this book lays out not only the extreme danger of massive quakes in unexpected places (like the Northeast, Memphis, and Salt Lake City) but also documents the crazy things we are doing that are vastly increasing the frequency and threat of earthquakes. Well-written, gripping, fascinating, harrowing—\u003ci\u003eQuakeland\u003c\/i\u003e is a book we all need to read, if only to know how to survive when the big one hits.“\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e--Douglas Preston, author of the #1 \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestseller \u003ci\u003eThe Lost City of the Monkey God: A True Story\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“This book is as terrifying as it is enthralling. With eye-opening historical context, Kathryn Miles describes the surprisingly wide scope of seismic hazards, the frightening deficiencies of our infrastructure, and the people striving to protect us all. \u003ci\u003eQuakeland\u003c\/i\u003e is an urgent call to action, one that we would be witless to ignore.” \u003cb\u003e --Nathalia Holt, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times \u003c\/i\u003ebestselling author of \u003ci\u003eRise of the Rocket Girls: The Women Who Propelled Us From Missiles to the Moon to Mars \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“With seismic prose and John McPhee's gift for translating science with metaphor, Kathryn Miles makes you wonder at the tremendous forces continuously shaping our landscape. You need not live near a fault line (spoiler: you probably do) to enjoy this well-reported, entertaining foray into the scientific subculture of earthquakes. Miles is sparring with Mary Roach for top spot on my science bookshelf.”\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e--Kim Cross, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e best-selling author of \u003ci\u003eWhat Stands in a Storm\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Full of wit and wisdom, \u003ci\u003eQuakeland\u003c\/i\u003e takes readers on a journey into what for most of us is an unknown world—the planet beneath our feet. Read this book and you will return from the unknown not only informed and entertained, but even more in awe of the world than you might already have been.” \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e--Paul Bogard, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Ground Beneath Us\u003c\/i\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003e“Quakeland\u003c\/i\u003e was a mesmerizing companion on a trip I took to the Northwest. It's a revelation about the treachery of the crust beneath your feet. This could be the most important book you ever read.”\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e--Alanna Mitchell, author of \u003ci\u003eSea Sick\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePraise for \u003ci\u003eSuperstorm\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Superstorm reads like the script of a blockbuster movie, transforming that Halloween storm into a nightmarish monster come to life. She provides horrifying vignettes of the storm's many personal tragedies.\" \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e—Washington Post\u003c\/i\u003e  \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Wise and harrowing.\" \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e—\u003c\/i\u003eThe Associated Press\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Fascinating...Meticulous...Heartbreaking...Miles's account--this year's Five Days at Memorial--is an important record for future planners and a gripping read.\" \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e—Library Journal\u003c\/i\u003e (starred review)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Deeply reported and richly detailed narrative...A masterful job of telling the human tale of the storm.\" \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e—Miami Herald\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Explains how a storm so strong it filled the windows of the International Space Station managed to catch the nation flat-footed.\" \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e—New York Post\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"[A] wide-angle, ticktock account of the massive Atlantic storm system that slammed the Eastern Seaboard on Oct. 29, 2012.\" \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e—Newsday\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Thrilling...Even for those of us who have heard countless hurricane stories, Superstorm, is a valuable addition. It goes beyond the scary radar screens and harrowing photos of the aftermath to the ongoing, massive problems of predicting and surviving such storms.\" \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e—Tampa Bay Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Deftly describes the intricacies of meteorology, government bureaucracy and maritime travel while weaving together several narrative strands into a compelling tapestry.\" \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e—Roanoke Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eKATHRYN MILES\u003c\/b\u003e is an acclaimed journalist and writer-in-residence for Green Mountain College, as well as a faculty member for Chatham University’s MFA program. With a BA in Philosophy from St. Louis University and a PhD in English from the University of Delaware, Miles is also a scholar-in-residence for the Maine Humanities Council and a member of the Terrain.org editorial board. Her work has appeared in \u003ci\u003eThe\u003c\/i\u003e \u003ci\u003eBest American Essays\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003ePopular Mechanics\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eOutside\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eThe New York Times\u003c\/i\u003e.Their Campsite, Our      Core\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Picture a campsite-one of the standard-issue kinds replicated in      national forests and parks around the country. In a lot of ways,      it's the quintessential American image: the kind of image you'd      find on a postage stamp or in an ad for a new made-in-the-USA      truck or maybe even in your favorite Brady Bunch episode. In so      many ways, these sites represent our collective values: After all,      these campgrounds exist because of good national policy, good      government-real bedrock stuff.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e At the particular site I have in mind, there's a little gravel      pull-off for a vehicle and a bare pad just large enough for a      four-person tent. Off to the side, a picnic table cozies up to a      well-used fire ring lined with blackened stones. Maybe you've      slept at sites like this. Perhaps you and your kids have roasted      marshmallows in that fire ring, feeling the chipped paint of the      picnic table on bare legs as you stretched toasting sticks into      the embers, liking the way the soles of your shoes heated up on      the rocks.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Even if you haven't actually done this, I bet you can still      imagine it. Why? Because it is a deeply American scene: \"Go West,      young man\" meets wholesome family togetherness, complete with hot      dogs and Jiffy Pop.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Now imagine the force required to cleave that land-to strike a      fissure between that picnic table and fire ring. One moment, the      two objects sit side by side, just a few feet separating them. The      next moment, the fire ring and everything to the east of it drops      twenty feet. Your toes are no longer touching warm stones. They're      dangling off a cliff.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e This scenario sounds like the sort of thing that can only happen      in Hollywood. But sixty years ago, that's precisely what happened      at the Cabin Creek Campground, just outside Yellowstone National      Park. On August 17, 1959, a magnitude 7.5 earthquake ruptured with      an epicenter just a few miles from there. The sheer force of that      rupture caused the land to split and half of the site to plummet      in what geologists call a scarp, or a sharp line of cliffs caused      by seismic activity. As terrifying as that would have been for      anyone there, it was the least of the damage to the area: Just      across the river, the nation's biggest recorded rock slide-over 73      million metric tons of debris-roared down a canyon wall, burying      nineteen people. They were never recovered. At least nine other      victims died of their injuries. Today, a massive lake rests where      their campsites once stood. Nearby, you can find geysers and      fissures and sinkholes where there were none-all because of this      single earthquake.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e You can be forgiven for thinking that the ground beneath your feet      is solid. For most of us, it certainly appears as much. When I was      seven, I ran away with my motherÕs formal silverware, wrongly      thinking there was a utensil shortage in China. Because I knew      that the shortest distance between two points was a straight line,      I also took my dadÕs shovel, figuring I could dig my way there in      a couple of days. I lasted about an hour before I hit the dense      clay that makes up so much of the Mississippi River corridor. To      my scrawny arms, it was impenetrable. I assumed everything below      it was equally unyielding. And so I returned home, defeated,      before anyone had even noticed that the silver and I were missing.      \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e If basic earth science had been covered in my first grade      curriculum, I'd like to think I wouldn't have bothered with the      shovel. Maybe you remember that iconic drawing of the planet cut      into a cross section that's often used in geology textbooks. I      always think it looks like a peach: thin outer skin, flesh that's      not quite solid or liquid, a tidy pit. That outer layer, insofar      as the planet is concerned, is called the crust. This is a      misleading term. It's actually made up of a bunch of jagged pieces      known as plates. The current best guess is that, right now, there      are fifteen big ones and a handful of smaller ones floating      around. The thicker and less dense ones are known as continental      plates. The heavier ones are oceanic. We'll talk more about each      in the next chapter.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e What's important to know now is that these plates, which are      forever in motion themselves, also bear the scars of billions of      years of upheaval and trauma on this planet. For instance,      beginning near Lake Superior, there's a 1000-mile forked crack      down the center of this country known as the Midcontinent Rift.      One tine of this crack snakes down to Oklahoma. The other works      its way clear to Alabama. This rift exists because, about a      billion years ago, the continent began to break apart. Scientists      aren't sure why the rift began to form, though they think it might      have been because of volcanic activity below it. Even more      puzzling to them is why we're still in one piece (a similar rift      threading through East Africa appears to be succeeding in ripping      that continent in two).\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Other marks are no less monumental. The Appalachian Mountains, the      oldest on the planet, are actually scabs from a head-on collision      of two plates. They are composed largely of rock that once made up      the seafloor-and they were once taller than the Himalayas. This      kind of dramatic shifting happens on our planet all the time.      While I was writing this chapter, a new island, about a half mile      wide, popped up just south of Fiji, thanks to an active volcano      there. Another one appeared off the coast of Japan in 2013.      Meanwhile, a new plate appears to be forming below the Indian      Ocean, perhaps birthed by the 2012 Sumatran earthquakes.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e While all this activity is visible on the crust, most of it is      actually caused by what lies just underneath: the mantle, which is      a combination of solid and liquid rock. The mantle makes up most      of our planet's volume, and there's a huge variation in its      temperature from top to bottom. Up near the crust, it's a cool      1800¡F. As you plunge deeper, it reaches a temperature of almost      7000¡F. (Silver, incidentally melts at 1763¡F, which is just one      reason why my chosen path to China was a bad one-at least where      the longevity of my mother's salad forks was concerned.)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e This difference in temperature between the outer and inner mantle      creates a dynamic heat exchange as hotter rock and magma rise to      the surface and cooler rock falls back down. Want to see this in      practice? Think of a lava lamp. Or, if that's too groovy for you,      dump a can of minestrone into a pot and watch it boil on the      stove. There's a certain rhythm to the rotation of carrots and      macaroni as they are pushed to the surface and then back down      again to the bottom of the pot. It's mesmerizing-at least until      you remember that we're floating on top of a very similar process.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Soup eaters or not, seismologists love the mantle. It's where      everything happens in one big, dynamic mess. Parts of the mantle      are solid. Some of it is plastic or even viscous. Its movement is      responsible for the drifting and colliding of our plates.      Earthquakes occur there.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Below the mantle lies the core, which is probably the least      interesting layer for any book about seismicity. First discovered      in 1936, it's also the least understood. What is known is that the      core is made up mostly of nickel and iron and is divided into two      parts-the outer, which is molten, and the inner, which is solid      but only because it is under immense pressure. It is also the very      hottest part of our planet-scientists think it's temperature is      probably between 9,000 and 13,000¡F (by comparison, the sun's      chromosphere-the deepest layer we can currently observe-ranges      between 6,700 and 11,000¡F).\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e To reach the middle of the earth's core, you'd have to travel down      about 3400 miles. Then you'd have to go back up about another 3400      miles if you wanted to pop out on the other side of the planet.      (It's about 6500 miles from Davenport, Iowa, to Beijing overland,      which is yet one more reason my silverware reallocation plan was a      lousy one.)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e If you've been counting, I've already used the word \"about\" eight      times in this chapter alone. It's a word you hear even more      frequently among scientists who study the inner workings of our      planet. In the past decade or so, they've come up with some      sophisticated tools to help them visualize what's going on below      us, including 3-D imaging techniques. Nevertheless, saying this      instrumentation gives us any kind of definitive knowledge about      what goes on inside the earth is a lot like saying you've mastered      the inner workings of a human body because you've seen an X-ray or      CAT scan. You might have a decent idea of what's in there, but      you're missing a lot of nuance.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Where geology is concerned, these gaps are not for lack of trying.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e In 1958, a group of American scientists attempted to drill into      the place where the crust and mantle meet, which also,      incidentally, is the place where most of our seismic activity      occurs. Geologists call this boundary the Mohorovicic      discontinuity, so named for Andrija Mohorovicic, the Croatian      seismologist who discovered it in the early 1900s. (Pro tip: If      you want to look like you know what you're doing at a seismology      conference, refer to this space as \"the Moho.\") Like the crust,      the Moho is far from uniform. On average, it tends to sit about      five miles below the ocean floor and twenty miles below any      continent. If you want to find it, you'd be much better off      looking under an ocean instead of, say, Cleveland.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e At least, that's what Walter Munk figured. A Vienna-born scientist      who studied in the United States and applied for American      citizenship after the Anschluss, Munk made a name for himself in      World War II by correctly projecting wave heights, which allowed      more than 160,000 Allies to land on the shores of Normandy during      D-day. In the years immediately after the war, Munk played an      integral role in our nation's early nuclear testing on Pacific      atolls. His job? To look for and measure tsunamis created by the      blasts. After that gig, Munk proposed Project Mohole: an attempt      to drill into the Moho layer at depth. The project was endorsed by      the American Miscellaneous Society, the loosest possible      consortium of scientists: AMSOC, writes geologist and      oceanographer Kenneth Hsu, \"had no statutes or bylaws, no official      membership, no officers, no formal meetings, no proceedings.\" Any      scientist could become a member merely by saying so. The primary      function of AMSOC was to support projects that had been rejected      by other agencies, most notably the Office of Naval Research. Munk      figured they were just the group to get behind his project. And      so, one morning in the spring of 1957, he invited a few geology      and oceanography friends over for breakfast. They appointed      themselves an official AMSOC subcommittee. Together, they also      submitted their Mohole proposal to the organization as a whole.      The rest of AMSOC loved it. Theirs was maybe not the most      prestigious endorsement for a project, but it nevertheless helped      persuade the National Science Foundation to fund Project Mohole.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e As presented, Munk's plan was a three-tiered attempt to bore below      the earth's crust off the coast of Guadalupe, Mexico. This      proposal raised no small amount of controversy in the geological      world. Young radicals like Hsu tended to love it. Members of the      establishment thought it was an absurd waste of money.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The Mohole group managed to overcome enough dissent and technical      difficulties to begin their project. They succeeded in drilling      down through the ocean floor about 600 feet before internal      conflicts in the Miscellaneous Society led to its disbandment. The      National Academy of Sciences took over the project in 1964. By      then, the project's tab was over $1.8 million. Estimates for what      it would take to finish the job were $68 million. That was a hard      number for Congress to swallow. They cut off funding two years      later.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The Soviet Union began a similar project in 1970 known as the Kola      Superdeep Borehole. They made it down about 7.5 miles before      incredible heat (about 350¡F) basically melted their drill bits.      Team scientists tried a variety of different solutions, but      eventually the problem of temperature proved too much.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e There is no easy way to get to the Kola Peninsula, which lies near      the top of Finland and entirely above the Arctic Circle. If you're      willing to take eighteen hours' worth of flights on increasingly      dubious-looking airplanes, followed by a very confused SUV ride      across the tundra, you'll eventually reach the weirdly bombed-out      remains of the dig site, which includes no small amount of      discarded equipment and trash littered around. The actual      borehole, which is just nine inches wide, is covered by a rusted      cap. At the end of the project, engineers welded it shut and added      twelve enormous bolts for extra measure. Even if you were able to      remove them, you wouldn't find the Moho: The borehole got only      about a third of the way down.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 1\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e If you really want to see whatÕs going on inside our planet, your      best bet is to go to places like Yellowstone National Park. There,      you donÕt have to drill down thirty miles to see the guts of the      planet. Instead, they come to you. The park itself actually sits      in a caldera, a giant sinkhole created during a massive volcanic      eruption. The caldera is what scientists sometimes call a      Òsupervolcano.Ó While not actually a scientific term, that is the      word scientists use to categorize any volcano capable of spewing a      trillion tons or more of ash and debris in an eruption. Worldwide,      there are only about a dozen supervolcanoes capable of that kind      of explosion. Yellowstone is one of the biggest. Just over 2      million years ago, it erupted and spewed more than 585 cubic miles      of magma-about 200 times more than Krakatau in its epic 1883      eruption. That same Yellowstone eruption left an enormous ash bed      that blanketed much of what is currently the United States. Think      of an equilateral triangle with its top in Winnipeg and two bottom      corners in San Diego and New Orleans, respectively. ThatÕs how far      the ash spread.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Fueling Yellowstone today are two reservoirs of magma. Geologists      call these reservoirs \"blobs\" (that's a technical term). They're      still not sure just how much magma is in those reservoirs, but      current best guesses are that the two blobs probably total about      35,000 cubic miles of magma. For comparison's sake, it takes about      2900 cubic miles to fill Lake Superior.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e In general, magma tends to stay deep within the earth. Most of our      planet's volcanoes occur in places where two plates meet and one      slides under the other (what geologists call a subduction zone).      That sliding melts the otherwise solid mantle and allows a column      of magma to escape. The Pacific Ocean's Ring of Fire is a great      example of this process in action. So is Mount Saint Helens, which      is also located on a subduction zone. Yellowstone, on the other      hand, is smack-dab in the middle of a continent. So how did it      come to be?","brand":"Dutton","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46302767743205,"sku":"NP9780525955184","price":28.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780525955184.jpg?v=1767735255","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/quakeland-isbn-9780525955184","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}