Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Tons of great resources for learning about the science of earthquakes.

Media
two 2-D cross-sections of earth with curves showing path of S waves on top and P waves on bottom
P-wave and S-wave paths through the earth. Scientists discovered that Earth's outer core is liquid by observing seismic waves. P waves travel through solid and liquid, but S waves do not travel through liquid. (Public domain.)

FAQs by Category
Frequently Asked Questions about earthquakes by category. Seriously, check here first.

Earthquakes For Kids
Fun and educational resources including Science Fair ideas and earthquake science you can understand.

Science for Everyone
Science briefs about new earthquake research written for non-scientists.

Earthquake Topics
Learn about a variety of earthquake topics. USGS resources and links to outside educational resources. Browse or search.

Today in Earthquake History
What earthquakes happened on this same day in past years? What about on your birthday?

Earthquake Glossary
200+ earthquake terms with a definition and image.

Prepare
Learn what you can do to prepare for an earthquake… before, during, and after.

Google Earth™/KML Files
Downloadable layers for display in Google Earth.™

Earthquake Summary Posters
For significant earthquakes: ppicentral area, plate tectonic environment, earthquake history, and generalized seismic hazard of the region.

Photos, Videos, and Podcasts
Selected lists of earthquake damage, faults, and effects photos, videos, and podcasts.

Educational Publications
Selected publications about earthquakes In plain language.

Was this page helpful?