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Mapped: The World’s Major Earthquakes from 1956‒2022

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This map highlights the epicenters of earthquakes on record between 1956 and 2022.

Mapping The World’s Major Earthquakes from 1956‒2022

Major earthquakes have occurred since time immemorial, but their observation and impact have not been evenly distributed around the globe.

On February 6, two earthquakes struck in Türkiye near the Syrian border. Both registered above a 7 on the Richter scale and have a combined death toll rapidly rising past 20,000 people.

And looking at the history of recent and ancient earthquakes, the location of these is no surprise. Using data from the United States Geological Survey (USGS), creator PythonMaps mapped earthquake epicenters between 1956 and 2022 that registered a 4.5 or higher on the Richter scale.

Tectonic Plate Movement and Earthquakes

Looking at the map, it’s easy to spot the concentration of earthquakes along the boundaries of Earth’s tectonic plates.

These massive moving slabs of rock fit together almost like puzzle pieces, making up the lithosphere or the upper crust. But as the edges of tectonic plates collide, slide against, and move away from each other, the crust cracks and folds and causes earthquakes.

Most of the earthquakes visualized on this map follow the boundaries of the seven major tectonic plates, along with the Philippine Plate (south of Japan) and the Nazca Plate (west of South America).

Here’s a list of the most earthquake-prone areas on the planet, according to the USGS.

Earthquake ZonesTectonic PlatesLocations
Ring of FirePacific, North American, Philippine, Juan de Fuca, Cocos, NazcaRim of the Pacific Ocean.
Alpide BeltEurasian, African, Arabian, IndianJava to Sumatra, through the Himalayas, west to the Mediterranean, and out into the Atlantic.
Mid-Atlantic RidgeNorth American, Eurasian, South American, AfricanDeep underwater in the Atlantic, and directly underneath Iceland.

According to academics, the recent earthquakes in Türkiye (part of the Alpide Belt) happened on multiple faults. The Arabian Plate likely moved northwards into the Eurasian Plate, pushing the Anatolian Plate (which Türkiye sits on) westward.

The Worst Earthquakes in History

Though earthquakes are spread around the world, major earthquakes seem even more tightly confined to specific regions.

These major earthquakes register highly on magnitude scales, such as the Richter scale (ML) and the newer and more commonly-used moment magnitude scale (Mw). These scales are logarithmic and ramp up quickly, so for the Richter scale, each whole number increase roughly corresponds to a 31.6-fold increase in energy released.

The map above sees a concentration of these bigger magnitude earthquakes congregating heavily around both sides of the Pacific Ocean. This border is also known colloquially as the “Ring of Fire” for its persistent volcanic activity, also caused by tectonic plate movement.

But the red points representing major earthquakes registering 9+ on the Richter scale are far and few between. Here’s a list of the 20 worst earthquakes in history, based on magnitude.

RankNameMagnitudeLocationDate (Y-M-D)
1Valdivia Earthquake9.5Bio-Bio, Chile1960-05-22
2Good Friday Earthquake9.2Alaska, U.S.1964-03-28
32004 Indian Ocean Earthquake9.1Sumatra, Indonesia2004-12-26
4Tohoku Earthquake9.1Honshu, Japan2011-03-11
51952 Severo-Kurilsk Earthquake9.0Kamchatka, Russia1952-11-04
6Maule Earthquake8.8Bio-Bio, Chile2010-02-27
71906 Ecuador–Colombia Earthquake8.8Ecuador1906-01-31
8Rat Islands Earthquake8.7Alaska, U.S.1965-02-04
9Assam-Tibet Earthquake8.6Assam, Tibet1950-08-15
102012 Indian Ocean Earthquake8.6Sumatra, Indonesia2012-04-11
11Nias Earthquake8.6Sumatra, Indonesia2005-03-28
121957 Andreanof Islands Earthquake8.6Alaska, U.S.1957-03-09
13Unimak Island Earthquake, Alaska8.6Alaska, U.S.1946-04-01
141938 Banda Sea Earthquake8.5Banda Sea1938-02-01
151922 Vallenar Earthquake8.5Chile-Argentina Border1922-11-11
161963 Kuril Islands Earthquake8.5Kuril Islands, Russia1963-10-13
171923 Kamchatka Earthquake8.4Kamchatka, Russia1923-02-03
18September 2007 Sumatra Earthquakes8.4Sumatra, Indonesia2007-09-12
19Peru Earthquake8.4Southern Peru2001-06-23
201933 Sanriku Earthquake8.4Honshu, Japan1933-03-02

Areas near Indonesia, Russia, and Chile — all on tectonic plate boundaries — have seen half of the largest earthquakes recorded in history.

That said, there could have been earlier and larger earthquakes not recorded. Earlier civilizations lacked precise instruments to measure and document them and preserved written observations only, with some of the earliest records dating back nearly three millennia.

Can We Predict Major Earthquakes?

Despite the ability to measure both location and intensity of earthquakes (using a seismograph), scientists still cannot precisely predict exactly where, when, or at what magnitude an earthquake will occur.

However, they can measure the probability of an earthquake occurring, especially around fault zones. A famous example is “the big one” around the Cascadia subduction zone in North America which occurs every 200 to 800 years.

In areas that sit on fault lines between plates, earthquake preparedness can play a big role in mitigating risk.

Interested in tectonic plate shifts? Here’s an animated video which shows one billion years of tectonic plate movement in 40 seconds.
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This article was published as a part of Visual Capitalist's Creator Program, which features data-driven visuals from some of our favorite Creators around the world.

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Healthcare

Visualized: What Lives in Your Gut Microbiome?

The human gut microbiome contains a world of microbes. We look at the the bacteria that deeply affect our health and well-being.

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Visualized: What Lives in Your Gut Microbiome

Inside all of us lies a complex ecosystem of microbes. It includes bacteria, fungi, and even viruses that live in virtually every part of our bodies.

Researchers are continuing to discover how deeply connected our overall gastrointestinal health—gut health—is to these microbes.

Because bacteria outnumber all other microbes, we take a look at which ones live inside of us and what they do.

The Bacteria of the Gut Microbiome

The gut microbiome is composed of six main types of microbes. Each of these types of microbes has a unique function and role within the human body:

  • Firmicutes: Firmicutes break down complex carbohydrates and produce short-chain fatty acids for energy. They help maintain the functioning of the gut barrier, which obstructs bacteria, harmful microorganisms, and toxins from entering the bloodstream through the intestinal tracks. Firmicutes are also linked to obesity and metabolic disorders when imbalanced.
  • Actinomycetota: Actinomycetota break down complex carbs and produce vitamins B12 and K2, which are crucial for calcium absorption and energy generation in the body. They also protect the gut from harmful pathogens.
  • Pseudomonadota: Pseudomonadota lowers the gut’s redox potential, a measure of the balance between oxidants and antioxidants in the gastrointestinal tract. This is important for breaking down, storing, and using energy. They do this by producing short-chain fatty acids and breaking down complex molecules, promoting the growth of other beneficial gut microbes.
  • Fusobacteriota: Fusobacteriota can activate inflammatory responses to fight pathogens. But when imbalanced, they can contribute to inflammation and disease, such as periodontal disease.
  • Bacteroides: Bacteroides break down complex carbohydrates, regulate the immune system, and produce vitamins and metabolites important for overall health in the human gut microbiome.
  • Other: The “other” category includes a diverse range of microbes that contribute to various functions within the gut. These include various types of bacteria including TM7 (oral bacteria), cyanobacteria, acidobacteria, and verrucomicrobiota.

Dynamic Composition of the Microbiome

Interestingly, the proportions of these six microbe populations vary throughout the gastrointestinal tract.

Section of Gut MicrobiomeExponential Microbial Population (CFU/ml)Dominant Microbe
Mouth10⁵Firmicutes
Esophagus10⁷Firmicutes
Stomach10³Actinomycetota
Duodenum (Small Intestine)10³Firmicutes
Jejunum (Small Intestine)10⁵Firmicutes
Ileum (Small Intestine)10⁸Firmicutes
Large Intestine10¹⁰-10¹²Bacteroides

The presence, absence, and dominance of each of these microbes is based on their functionality. For example, in the mouth and esophagus, the microbial populations are relatively low. But the dominant microbe found here, Firmicutes, helps begin the process of breaking down sugars and carbohydrates from ingested food.

Meanwhile, the stomach is a harsh environment, with low pH levels that limit microbial growth. A small population of microbes is still present here.

The microbial population becomes more diverse in the small intestine. Here, Firmicutes and Actinomycetota are the dominant species, but Bacteroides and other microbes begin to make up a more substantial portion of the population.

The microbial population further diversifies in the large intestine, with Bacteroides and other microbes making up the majority of the population.

These proportions of bacteria in the gut microbiome represent the typical ratios for the average human body. But they can be influenced by factors including medical history, diet, age, and even geographical location.

The Gut-Brain Axis

The six microbe populations have effects way outside the gastrointestinal tract too.

The Gut-Brain Axis is a two-way link between the gut and the brain. This connection involves physical pathways and various forms of communication, including hormones, metabolism, and immunity.

Through these connections, the gut sends the brain signals when troubled. A distressed stomach or intestine is linked to anxiety, stress, depression, and other mental health issues. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is another example of a disease influenced by the gut microbiome.

At the same time, the brain also signals the gut when distressed. Scientists believe that emotions like anger, anxiety, sadness, and happiness trigger gut issues.

Towards a Healthy Gut

The gut is known as our body’s “second brain” and more and more people are now paying close attention to their gut health.

Over the last two decades, we’ve gained a better understanding of how the microbiome affects human health. One example of this is the gut-brain axis. Changes in the microbiome have also been connected to various diseases.

Understanding this microbiome has opened up new opportunities in medicine and healthcare, as the knowledge of the role of every microbe could also uncover new treatments for illnesses linked to it.

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