Cornell geologist Richard Allmendinger told LiveScience that strong earthquakes in Chile have left permanent cracks in the surface of the Earth. The findings “perplexed” Allmendinger and his colleagues, as the Earth is known to “rebound” after earthquakes – an effect that is chronicled using satellite technology. Deformation, such as cracks, in the Earth’s surface is generally thought to be temporary, with geological processes erasing them in “days or weeks.” From the LiveScience report:

“It is only in a place like the Atacama Desert that these cracks can be observed – in all other places, surface processes erase them within days or weeks of their formation, but in the Atacama, they are preserved for millions of years,” Allmendinger said.” We have every reason to believe that our results would be applicable to other areas, but is simply not preserved for study the way that it is in the Atacama Desert.”

The researchers were able to study thousands of years worth of earthquakes in the dry rock of the Atacama desert in Northern Chile. Allmendinger told LiveScience that this new research could change current models of the way upper-plate deformation due to earthquakes is recovered. He also stated that another large earthquake (over magnitude 7) could allow geologists to test these new hypotheses.

The quake was centered around 250 km (155 miles) Northeast of the town of Kuril’sk, Russia and 521 km (324 miles) Northeast of Nemuro, Japan. Kuril’sk is located on the string of islands located Northeast of Japan, and Nemuro is one of the Easternmost cities on the Japanese mainland. No damage has been reported as a result of the quake.

The National Weather Service’s Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has not issued a warning as a result of the earthquake, and neither has the Alaska Tsunami Warning Center.

Earlier this week, over two consecutive days, earthquakes hit Iran and Papua New Guinea. The earthquake that hit Iran was measured at a 7.8 magnitude on the Richter scale and caused multiple fatalities in a rural area of Pakistan. The 6.6-magnitude earthquake in Papua New Guinea caused no reported injuries.

The U.S. Geological Survey, (USGS) is reporting that the 6.6 magnitude earthquake was centered 18 km to the Southeast of Aitape, Papua New Guinea. Aitape is a small town on the northern coast of Papua New Guinea with a population of around 8,000.

The National Weather Service’s Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has not issued a warning for a Pacific-wide tsunami and doesn’t expect a tsunami to threaten Hawaii.

This earthquake comes just one day after a massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Iran and Pakistan. Though that quake was centered in a mostly rural area, buildings and houses in the area were still destroyed. Reports have stated as many as 40 Pakistanis may have died.

The earthquake in Iran caused little damage relative to its 7.8 Richter scale reading due to its depth, which was recorded by the USGS as being 82 km deep. The Papua New Guinea quake was much more shallow, being measured at 13 km deep.

Australia’s foreign office has stated to AFP that there have been no reports of serious damage or injury.

A new study has shown that earthquakes can play a role in turning water into gold. Sort of.

The study, published in this week’s Nature Geoscience, shows that earthquakes can cause gold deposits to form almost instantaneously. The effect is caused by the vaporization of liquids during an earthquake.

Researchers used a thermo-mechanical piston model to simulate the effects of earthquakes, where fluid-filled cavities in the earth can often expand. This expansion lowers the pressure within the cavity, causing the fluid to expand rapidly and vaporize. Gold contained within the liquid is then deposited in small amounts. Subsequent earthquakes would also deposit gold, turning a small deposit into a significant one.

The process also deposits silica, which helps to explain why gold deposits can be found mixed with quartz deposits. It could also explain why many gold deposits can be found near old fault lines.

Though the idea of pressure differentiation causing mineral deposits is not a new one, the extent to which it is responsible for those deposits is debated in geological circles. This new study demonstrates that extreme conditions within the Earth’s crust could build up sizable gold deposits in well under one million years.

The aftershocks are the result of a 4.7 magnitude earthquake that occurred Monday. The Earthquake was centered under Riverside County, but could be felt in both Los Angeles and San Diego. Though the shaking could be felt for miles around, its relatively low intensity caused little damage.

Today, the Los Angeles Times is reporting that aftershocks from the quake are continuing, with “dozens” recorded by the USGS this morning. This is after over 150 aftershocks were recorded in the immediate aftermath of the quake on Monday. The aftershocks were weak enough that they shouldn’t have even been noticed.

The most recent large earthquake in Southern California occurred in 2010, when a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck Baja California. Though this week’s quake did little damage, the incident stoked the fears of people who live in Southern California, who are well aware that they live in the most earthquake-prone area in the U.S. Many of them took to Twitter to voice their fears using their special brand of detached humor:

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Jenny✨
@Diimzlove

I knew it ! There was an earthquake yesterday ! I’m not craaazy (: lol

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34 minutes ago via Twitter for iPhone · powered by @socialditto

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Jessica♡
@Jessy_Veee

Lol my parents are telling me to watch out because if there’s an earthquake again we better watch out for tsunamis haha comforting

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40 minutes ago via Twitter for iPhone · powered by @socialditto

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Lena Shea
@LSD_Baybee

“Was that an earthquake or did you just rock my world?”

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37 minutes ago via Twitter for Android · powered by @socialditto

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LL Jul J
@KangolLove

An earthquake is God’s indigestion after humanity feeds him inorganic substances. #twitterscience

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37 minutes ago via web · powered by @socialditto

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Fentse Tlhabi
@Fentse92

If there was an earthquake and I was stuck in this apartment for a month I would be fine with the amount of pasta I just made. Yoh…

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27 minutes ago via Twitter for Android · powered by @socialditto

According to the Australian Daily Telegraph, on Tuesday, June 19th, the small town of Moe, Victoria encountered a 5.3-magnitude earthquake that could be felt in the majority of Victorian regions. This comes as a shock to many Victorian residents, because there has not been an earthquake in Victoria within 30 years.

Ever since this earthquake (which did not cause significant or life-threatening damage), many users across the Internet have been poking fun at it, especially Austrailan comedian Jimeoin…

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Jimeoin
@jimeoin

Yeah that was a real big #earthquake http://t.co/g4jomJ45

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1 day ago via Camera on iOS · powered by @socialditto

A lot of other Twitter users have been jokingly tweeting about the cause of the quake:

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Rachel Brunsden
@RachelB209

That was no earthquake! That was Gina Blackhardt moving her desk into her office #earthquake #failfax

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20 hours ago via Twitter for iPhone · powered by @socialditto

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Donna
@FoodnFlowers

Should I take a stable walking frame with me to Melb tomorrow? #earthquake

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2 minutes ago via HootSuite · powered by @socialditto

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Amber Reyes
@amber_98bieber

so i heard that you farted sometime last night @luke_brooks .. it shocked melbourne #Earthquake

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20 hours ago via web · powered by @socialditto

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Claudia Dashwood
@claudiadashwood

There was an earthquake last night? That was me making my milkshake.. #earthquake

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22 hours ago via Twitter for iPad · powered by @socialditto

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Peter Campbell
@peterc_150

What that an #earthquake, or did Gina Rinehart fart? #melbearthquake

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1 day ago via web · powered by @socialditto

On behalf of WebProNews, I hope that everyone affected by the recent quake in Moe, Victoria is okay and surviving.

Although there were no signs of an impending tsunami, residents were urged to move to higher ground as a precaution and several fishermen were called in to land. The quake sent panic through those affected as memories of the devastating tsunami disaster in 2004, which claimed over 230,000 lives in 13 different countries, no doubt became fresh in their minds again. The magnitude of that quake was 9.1. Recent news reports say the tsunami warning has been called off, but officials are urging residents to be cautious and are continuing with evacuations.

Early reports say that phone lines are down, traffic jams are clogging the streets as people move to safer ground, and the power is out for thousands. There are no reports of major damage so far, although Oxfam International tweeted that they were at the ready for anyone who needed assistance.

The quake is reported to have originated around the state of Guerrero and sent tremors to Acapulco and Oaxaca which varied in strength. Some minor damage was reported to buildings in Mexico City and some residents lost phone service, according to Mayor Marcelo Ebrard, who tweeted about the natural disaster. Residents fear aftershocks and will be on guard now.

Mexico City is built on unstable ground made mostly of volcanic structures and is susceptible to earthquakes and eruptions. In 2011 the Popocatepetl volcano erupted, causing an evacuation.

Twitter has been abuzz with the news.

The U.S. Geological Survey set the intensity at 7.9 on the Richter scale. Mexico’s National Seismological Survey said the temblor had an epicenter southwest of Ometepec.

The quake struck at 12:02 p.m. in Mexico City (11:02 a.m. Pacific time). It was six miles underground.

Also, shortly after 11 a.m., USGS issued earthquake reports for 3.8-magnitude quakes on either side of the Coachella Valley, but those were quickly deleted.

The world’s largest mobile earthquake simulator made a stop at the KPSP Local 2 News studios and simulated an 8.0 earthquake within the shaker.

After watching this YouTube video it easy to understand why the people of Mexico City decided to run into the streets.

The quake led to a flurry of posts on Twitter:

The tsunami hit the eastern coastline later but no reports of damage have been filed as of yet. Local residents were warned to evacuate well before the wave struck. Early reports say the waves hit two locations in Aomori, which was one of the most devastated areas in last year’s tragedy, in which an 8.9 magnitude quake caused a tsunami which claimed over 19,000 lives and was declared Japan’s worst post-war disaster.

The quake comes just three days after the one-year anniversary of that disaster, and on Sunday the cities of Japan were silent as families remembered the losses suffered in the disaster. Last year Google used their Street View cars to compile before and after pictures of the areas struck by the tsunami, and the results were staggering. As a good many people affected are still trying to pick up the pieces in the aftermath, many here in the states and beyond are offering prayers and thoughts to Japan.