THE INBOX

摘要

I applaud Popular Science's selection of EarthScope as the most epic of big science projects ["Big Science"]. The scientists involved are measuring earthquakes, magma movement, the fine structure of North America's crust and underlying mantle, and the motions of tectonic plates. From a societal perspective, EarthScope is the most directly relevant and potentially useful program on PopSci's list. Recall March's Tohoku quake and tsunami, and imagine the same thing happening on our Pacific coast. EarthScope is helping us prepare for such events.