SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 1: Effects of Earthquakes

You probably know that earthquakes cause the ground to shake, sometimes damaging buildings and tearing up trees. But did you know that earthquakes can affect the size of the Earth?

The Earth became just a teeny, tiny bit smaller on the day after Christmas as a result of the earthquake in Southeast Asia. How? The earthquake happened because one of the Earth’s plates forced another plate beneath it. Previously the plates were side by side. Now that one has covered the other, the surface area of the Earth is a little bit smaller.

The changing size of the Earth may also have affected how fast it spins. Because it's slightly smaller, the Earth may be spinning just a little bit faster. But the change is so insignificant that you'll never notice it.

This undersea earthquake also caused tsunamis--large waves--which crashed into coastal areas of Southeast Asia. But the world is smaller in more ways than one! The kindness and generosity from people everywhere is reaching Southeast Asia. Governments, individuals, newspapers, and websites across the Earth want to help the survivors rebuild their homes and their lives.

--Written by Katheryn Troyer

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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2: Hippo and Tortoise Friendship