Have Earth Quakes always existed. How far back do records go??

Answer 1

Earthquakes have been recorded as early as 1177 B.C. in China. Of course earthquakes have been a part of myth and legend since the dawn of man. In Greek Mythology, Posseidon (Neptune in the Roman pantheon) was "God of the Sea". Yet one of his powers was thought to be that of "earth shaker". As a tsunami is often the result of an earthquake, this was an appropriate power for a sea god.


In European history, the earliest recorded earthquake occurred in 580 B.C. In North America the great earthquakes of 1811-1812 occurred near New Madrid, Missouri. The magnitude of the quakes are not known, but they are estimated to have been about 8 on the Richter scale. There were actually three large quakes with aftershocks between and for months after. The quake was so wide-spread it was felt as far away as Boston.

The most destructive quake in U.S. history occurred in San Francisco in 1906, it caused the deaths of over 700 people. The great Alaskan earthquake of 1964 was twice as powerful, but less destructive due to the low population density of the area struck. The Chilean quake of 1960 was the biggest quake ever recorded. It came in at 9.5 on the Richter scale.

Answer 2

Equating the science behind earth quakes I would say that it is a strong possibility that they have always been an active process within our plant.
I believe that records go back to the same era as the invention of the record player.

Answer 3

It appears that earthquakes have been around almost as long as there has been an Earth, since Earthquakes are caused by the plates that make up the Earth's crust moving past each other.

Earthquakes are recorded in the Old Testament, so records go rather far back.

Answer 4

REFER TO MY OTHER ANSWER:

Q: Will Earth soon become one giant land mass, like long ago?

Not "soon" that's guaranteed. Yes, the land of the Earth is based upon "plates" that move due to Continental Drift made of of trenches and, over time, may move apart (ocean creations), together (mountain creations) or slide past each other causing earthquakes (Western Turkey and San Francisco for example have sliding plates).

Once, about 180 million years ago in the Juarrassic Age, the land mass was believed to be an entire continent called Pangea.

Through time the plates moved likely causing many earthquakes creating mountains and oceans. Look at an Atlas. Brazil fits perfectly into Western Africa, as does the Gulf of Mexico into the north western African land mass.

These are only 2 examples of the hordes of examples anyone can find on an atlas that proved it did happen. In your lifetime, the land you're on now will have moved about 10 metres from birth to death, as an idea of how slow the process is.

Now, what the hell will happen in, say 180 million years from now no one knows - but one way or another, these plates will continue to move in the approximate direction they have been in regardless of whether the oceans cover the land or not through climate change - whether natural or human intervention-induced.

Whether it will be a single land mass or whether, for example Europe and North America will join but not Australia since it is trailing too much I don't know.

But certainly Africa to Europe, Alaska to the USSR and N. America to Europe, since they have been proven to be getting closer.

Answer 5

earth quakes have always occured but they only started recordin them from about 1960 the earth has always been shifting. They thin that north america and italy were once connected together.

Answer 6

The earliest earthquake (that I could find recorded) was in the year 365 in Crete resulting in 50,000 dead.

It is listed in The World Book Encyclopedia in an article "Disaster"

Answer 7

Yes.
Regular written records certainly back to the 1800's, but geological records dating back millions of years can be found in the rocks themselves.

Answer 8

There are accounts in the bible but it only goes back so fer that we can prove. There are some Chineese records that go back as far as 3500 years. but I'm sure that in there are older written accounts from the eastern mediterranean area.

Answer 9

* is in awe at possibility implied in question *

So are you suggesting something like the Little Ice Age or the Neolithic Revolution kick-started plate tectonics?

Answer 10

certainly as old as the planet earth itself!!! since it is a natural phenomena, i am sure that they have always existed!