Instructor] Before I go to a new place,

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I try to do some thorough research about it.

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What do I want to do there?

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What's the weather forecast?

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What's the chance that it might erupt?

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I learned this hard way recently.

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While preparing for a trip to Mount Rainier National Park,

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I somehow missed that the mountain itself

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is actually a volcano.

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Though it hasn't erupted in over a century,

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it has the potential to do so again,

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something that it would have been nice to know

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more than a week before I left for my vacation.

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Volcanoes are one of the most dramatic examples

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of a natural hazard,

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a naturally occurring phenomenon that can pose risks

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to humans and society.

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Natural hazards can be very dangerous

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for our communities.

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But scientists can help people better understand the risks

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that may occur where they live

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so everyone can work together to prepare safety guidelines.

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Different places experience different natural hazards

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due to local geographic or atmospheric conditions.

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For example, a storm on open plains could spawn a tornado.

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Similarly, a storm over the ocean

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could grow into a hurricane or a cyclone

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by the time it reaches the coast.

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These coastal rainstorms,

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along with their colder counterparts, blizzards,

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are the main natural hazards that I may run into

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where I live in the mid-Atlantic.

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Too much rain or snow can be dangerous, of course,

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but scientists have gotten pretty good

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at predicting weather conditions.

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Meteorologists use all kinds of technologies

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to map where and when a storm may form.

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Orbiting satellites can take pictures

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of cloud patterns from above.

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Weather stations back on the surface

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can use electromagnetic wave fields

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measured through Doppler radar

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to determine how heavy rain is falling

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or how strong the wind is blowing in those same clouds.

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They feed all of this and other data into computer models

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that can help them predict if the storm is severe enough

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to become a natural hazard.

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For example, this map from the National Oceanic

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and Atmospheric Administration's Weather Prediction Center

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shows where people can expect rainstorms,

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where others can expect snowstorms,

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and where those storms may become powerful enough

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to pose risks.

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Despite great advances in our ability

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to predict natural hazards,

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there are some phenomena that are less predictable,

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which can make them harder to prepare for.

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You see, the outer part of Earth is made up

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of large moving pieces called tectonic plates.

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These plates can grind or slip against each other,

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releasing energy in the form of seismic waves.

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Most of the time,

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we don't even notice these tectonic movements.

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But especially along boundaries

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or fault lines in the plates,

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people may experience

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the ground-shaking tremors of earthquakes.

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Earthquakes can be especially dangerous

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in highly populated areas

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where they damage buildings, roads,

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and other forms of human infrastructure.

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Earthquakes are often associated with volcanic activity,

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since volcanoes are often found near boundaries

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and fault lines of the tectonic plates.

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As the plates move and magma swells up to the surface,

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volcanic eruptions can release everything

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from clouds of gas or ash to rivers of molten lava.

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An earthquake in one location may even agitate

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large bodies of water enough to generate a tsunami,

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a huge and powerful wave,

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along the coastline in another.

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Tsunamis can affect the local region

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as well as regions far away.

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Scientists can't predict an intense earthquake,

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volcanic eruption, or tsunami as effectively

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as they can a severe weather event.

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But they are working to better understand

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Earth's seismic activity and when it poses a risk.

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For example, they use tools like seismographs

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to determine when an earthquake is happening

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and its strength or magnitude.

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Data from both minor and major tremors

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may help scientists figure out the signs

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that an earthquake is coming,

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giving communities along fault lines an early warning

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to evacuate or brace themselves,

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rather than simply reacting to the aftermath.

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Engineers can even use the data they've recorded

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from past earthquakes to design buildings

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and other structures to withstand the effects

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of future ones.

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Communicating what they've learned may help places

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that experience seismic natural hazards

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to prepare far in advance,

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further reducing the risks that they face.

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Natural hazards can cause a lot of harm.

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But scientists are learning more every day

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about why they occur

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and how communities can remain resilient.

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For my trip, I studied up on visiting a volcano zone

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and was relieved to find that there's been no signs

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that Mount Rainier's erupting any time soon.

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The whole experience really reinforced the importance

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of being prepared.

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Even if natural hazards aren't common

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where you live or travel,

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having a preparedness plan can help you stay safe

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in a scary situation.

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These are just some examples

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of how scientific research benefits society.

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Now, if you'll excuse me,

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I'll be setting up an emergency kit

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for the next time I lose power during a storm.