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Courtesy of the Earth Science Literacy Initiative
Earth Science Literacy - Big Idea 8
Natural hazards pose risks to humans.
Big Idea 8.1
Natural hazards result from natural Earth processes. These hazards include earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, floods, droughts, landslides, volcanic eruptions, extreme weather, lightning-induced fires, sinkholes, coastal erosion, and comet and asteroid impacts.
Big Idea 8.2
Natural hazards shape the history of human societies. Hazardous events can significantly alter the size of human populations and drive human migrations. Risks from natural hazards increase as populations expand into vulnerable areas or concentrate in already-inhabited areas.
Big Idea 8.3
Human activities can contribute to the frequency and intensity of some natural hazards. These hazards include floods, landslides, droughts, forest fires, and erosion.
Big Idea 8.4
Hazardous events can be sudden or gradual. They range from sudden events such as earthquakes and explosive volcanic eruptions, to more gradual phenomena such as droughts, which may last decades or longer. Changes caused by continual processes such as erosion and land subsidence can also result in risks to human populations, as with the increased risk of flooding in New Orleans.
Big Idea 8.5
Natural hazards can be local or global in origin. Local events can have distant impacts because of the interconnectedness of both human societies and Earth’s systems. For example, a volcanic eruption in the Pacific Ocean can impact climate around the globe.
Big Idea 8.6
Earth scientists are continually improving estimates of when and where natural hazards occur. This analysis is done through continuously monitoring Earth, increasing our understanding of the physical processes that underlie its changes, and developing scientific models that can explain hazard-related scientific observations.
Big Idea 8.7
Humans cannot eliminate natural hazards, but can engage in activities that reduce their impacts. Loss of life, property damage, and economic costs can be reduced by identifying high-risk locations and minimizing human habitation and societal activities in them, improving construction methods, developing warning systems, and recognizing how human behavior influences preparedness and response.
Big Idea 8.8
An Earth-science-literate public is essential for reducing risks from natural hazards. This literacy leads to the promotion of community awareness about natural hazards and to the development of scientifically informed policies that reduce risk.
