Existing landfills are reaching their capacities and sometimes have leaks that can endanger water supplies. The U.S. is also running out of space to build new landfills. Pressure building up between crustal plates below the Earth's surface spews gases, ash and molten lava. People who live near volcanoes can now be warned when to evacuate by new technology. From Earth to Venus, these Photo Essays provide a look at the mighty volcanoes.
People often talk about the weather.
Using the clouds and winds to foretell the climate, farmers manage crops and mariners navigate safe routes. Sometimes weather means destruction, hardship and death. Today's meterologists use modern technology and a worldwide network to forecast the weather more accurately. Discover the diverse forms of weather in these Photo Essays. An earthquake, once described as a great thrashing catfish, is cause by the sudden shifting and colliding of tectonic plates in the Earth's crust.