Spectacular volcanoes form the nine Azores islands, which rise out of the northern Atlantic Ocean hundreds of miles west of Portugal. Volcanic eruptions and large earthquakes are a part of life in the Azores. Recently, I had the good fortune to admire impressive landscapes on two of the islands while hiking along miles of trails in this unique and highly scenic region.
In the earthquake-prone central Andes Mountains, there archaeological sites with monumental adobe and stone block structures standing that were built by ancient people hundreds and even thousands of years ago. Clearly, the ancient builders planned to have their important structures last–-and they had the knowledge to build appropriately for their environment. Buildings that promise to last a long time are also being constructed today.
The dramatic landscape of Yellowstone National Park, including exploding geysers, bubbling mud volcanoes, and rainbow-colored lakes, all provide hints of the dynamic geologic history of the region. Yellowstone is one of the Earth’s largest volcanic systems, and earthquakes, ground surface movements, and hydrothermal activity in the region are all indications of this volcanism.
