239 Items Tagged

Disasters

People visit the beach in in Fort Myers, Florida, as storm clouds gather ahead of Hurricane Milton's arrival.

As Hurricane Milton Approaches, Communities Repair and Prepare

In the wake of one hurricane and the looming shadow of another, millions find creative ways to face a crisis.

Atlas Obscura October 8, 2024

London, England

Stairway to Heaven Memorial

An inverted staircase above the entrance to the Bethnal Green Underground Station functions as a memorial for people who lost their lives during the worst civilian disaster in the U.K. during World War II.

Brooklyn, New York

Urban Post-Disaster Housing Prototype

An interim housing alternative to FEMA trailers that is designed for densely populated areas during recovery and rebuilding following a natural disaster.

Podcast: The Ludlow Massacre Site

The scene of one of the darkest moments in American labor history has been left essentially untouched since the tragedy.

The Podcast Team May 20, 2024

Today the giant Pacific octopus, or <em>Enteroctopus dofleini</em>, is a beloved cephalopod, but in the early 20th century, some mistook these friendly giants as terrifying man-eaters.

How the World’s Largest Octopus Went From Cryptid to Protected

Turns out some monsters are real—and pretty cute.

Sam Fletcher May 1, 2024

Is your state in danger of an earthquake? Well, yes.

Not Even Minnesota Is Safe From Earthquakes

Was the recent New York quake really all that uncommon? Here's a state-by-state map.

Frank Jacobs April 12, 2024

Christchurch, New Zealand

Flora and Otto

A mosaic armchair and ottoman built from china broken in the Christchurch earthquakes.

Eyemouth, Scotland

Cholera Monument

A watchhouse constructed from tombstones, to make way for a burial pit, for the victims succumbing to a deadly disease.

Tallinn, Estonia

'Broken Line' Memorial

A monument commemorating the 852 lives lost in the sinking of the MS Estonia.

Oarfish sport red spine-like fins on their head and a long dorsal fin running the length of their body, as well as two oar-like pelvic fins, giving them their name.

The Legend of Japan's 'Earthquake Fish'

The serpent-like oarfish has long been considered an omen of natural disaster. Scientists are shaking up that old superstition.

Roxanne Hoorn October 3, 2023

The Great Boston Molasses Flood, 1919.

Podcast: We Heart Disasters … With John Marr

A visit with the author of a classic zine about unusual deaths.

The Podcast Team June 28, 2023

By 1994, the seaweed had died back on Mearns Rock and mussels were elbowing in.

Alaskans Have Photographed This Boulder for 33 Years

In 1990, a scientist began visually documenting Prince William Sound’s recovery from the Exxon Valdez oil spill. When funding ran out, volunteers took over.

J. Besl June 12, 2023

Great Yarmouth, England

Suspension Bridge Disaster Memorial

On May 2, 1845, crowds gathered to watch a clown and four geese sail upstream in a bathtub. Then disaster struck.

Peaches and Chartreuse jelly, from Rayanne House.

Make the Jellied Delicacy Served Aboard the Titanic

For their last meal, first-class passengers dined on 11 courses, including Chartreuse jelly and peaches.

Diana Hubbell April 27, 2023

In 2011, a slow-moving tropical cyclone called Vania caused flooding and wind damage in parts of Vanuatu.

The Ni-Vanuatu Way To Prepare for a Storm

In Vanuatu, traditional knowledge provides resilience as tropical cyclones grow more intense.

Monica Evans April 3, 2023

John Brown's Headstone

Dailly, Scotland

John Brown Memorial

The grave of a man who spent 23 days trapped underground after a mine collapse.

In the aftermath of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, the government built 5,610 "earthquake shacks" to help resident weather the winter months.

The Earthshaking History of San Francisco's Quake Shacks

You can still spot these tiny reminders of the 1906 earthquake in the city today.

Laura Kiniry February 23, 2023

The ship first known as the <em>Viking Sally</em> was once a floating pleasure palace, part of the Baltic's "cruiseferry culture."

The Curse of the Viking Sally, the Baltic’s Most Ill-Starred Ship

The one-time floating pleasure palace left a legacy of murder and maritime disaster in its wake.

Michael Hunt October 6, 2022