The Largest Earthquake In 45 Years Hits Tennessee – Is The “Deep Underground Scar” In The Center Of The United States Awakening?

Large earthquakes aren’t supposed to happen in Tennessee.  On Wednesday, the largest earthquake in 45 years hit eastern Tennessee, and it made headlines all over the nation.  The magnitude 4.4 quake was so powerful that it was felt in portions of Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Kentucky.  Significant shaking was even felt as far away as Atlanta, and that was highly unusual.  The original earthquake was rapidly followed by a magnitude 3.0 aftershock, and subsequently there were several other noteworthy aftershocks.  We live at a time when earthquakes are increasing in size and frequency, and many are concerned about what this may mean for our future.  The recent earthquakes in Alaska were a shock, but at least they made sense since much of the coastline of Alaska sits directly along the Ring of Fire.  But eastern Tennessee is not an area that has traditionally been prone to quakes.  Could it be possible that the “seismic scar” that was created when the North American continent was formed is beginning to reawaken? (Read More...)

The Best Places To Live In All 50 U.S. States

We live at a time when Americans are packing up and moving with increasing frequency. Some are moving for new opportunities, some are moving in anticipation of what is coming, and others are moving just because they are bored. As the publisher of The Economic Collapse Blog and The Most Important News, I am frequently asked to give my opinion about a potential move. Of course I often don’t know what to say, because often factors that I don’t fully understand are involved in the decision. For example, someone may be moving somewhere truly horrible for a wonderful new job, or complex family relationships are precipitating a move. But there are some general principles that I share with people, and I will be sharing some of them with you in this article. (Read More...)

The Most Unusual (And Significant?) Solar Eclipse In U.S. History Will Happen Next Month On August 21

August 21st is the date of “the Great American Eclipse”, and the hype around it is already starting to reach a fever pitch. It is being called “the Great American Eclipse” because this will be the first total solar eclipse ever that is only visible in the United States. In other words, since the United States became a nation there has never been a total eclipse that was only visible here and nowhere else. And this will be the first total solar eclipse to cross from the west coast to the east coast in 99 years. So for those that love astronomy, this is bigger than the Super Bowl. (Read More...)

Foreshock? A Significant Earthquake Just Hit The New Madrid Fault Seismic Zone

Kentucky 3.5 EarthquakeCould the earthquake that just struck the New Madrid fault seismic zone near the town of La Center, Kentucky be a “foreshock” for a much bigger quake yet to come?  Very early on Sunday morning, a magnitude 3.5 earthquake hit western Kentucky, and it was felt in parts of three other states as well.  In fact, it is being reported that the quake could be felt all the way over in Miller, Missouri, which is 267 miles away.  The New Madrid fault seismic zone is six times larger than the more famous San Andreas fault zone in California, and it covers portions of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee and Mississippi.  Scientists tell us that the New Madrid fault is about 30 years overdue for a major event, and because of the nature of the Earth’s crust in that part of the country, a major earthquake would do significant damage all the way to the east coast. (Read More...)

A New Madrid Earthquake Is Coming And America Will Be Shaken Like Never Before

New Madrid Fault Earthquake ZoneMost Americans expect the next great earthquake in the United States to come on the west coast.  But what if it strikes right down the middle of the country instead?  The New Madrid fault zone is six times larger than the San Andreas fault zone in California and it covers portions of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee and Mississippi.  Back in 1811 and 1812, a series of absolutely devastating earthquakes along the New Madrid fault zone opened very deep fissures in the ground, caused the Mississippi River to run backwards in some places, and were reportedly felt as far away as Washington D.C. and Boston.  They were the strongest earthquakes ever recorded east of the Rocky Mountains, and scientists tell us that it is only a matter of time before we experience similar quakes.  In fact, the U.S. Geological Survey has admitted that the New Madrid fault zone has the “potential for larger and more powerful quakes than previously thought“, and the number of significant earthquakes in the middle part of the country has more than quintupled in recent years.  Someday, perhaps without any warning, an absolutely massive earthquake will strike the New Madrid fault.  Thousands of Americans will die, tens of thousands of structures will be completely destroyed, and millions of people will find themselves homeless. (Read More...)

The New Madrid Earthquake That Will Divide The United States In Half

New Madrid Fault Earthquake ZoneOnce upon a time, North America almost divided along a very deep subsurface rift.  Today, that rift system and the faults associated with it are known as the New Madrid fault zone.  This fault zone is six times larger than the San Andreas fault zone in California and it covers portions of Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee and Mississippi.  Back in 1811 and 1812, four of the largest earthquakes in U.S. history struck that area of the country.  The movement of the ground was so powerful that it changed the course of the Mississippi River and it rang church bells in Boston, Massachusetts.  So could such an earthquake (or worse) strike today?  Well, last year the U.S. Geological Survey released a report that warned that the New Madrid fault zone has the “potential for larger and more powerful quakes than previously thought“, and the USGS also admits that the number of significant earthquakes in the middle part of the country has more than quintupled in recent years.  We also know that the U.S. government and large corporations are so concerned about the potential for a major New Madrid earthquake that they have held major exercises that simulate one.  Scientists tell us that it is just a matter of time until another superquake hits the region, and personally I am one of the millions of Americans that believe that we will eventually see a New Madrid earthquake that will divide the United States in half.  That is one of the reasons why I included a New Madrid earthquake in my novel.  But others are skeptical.  They point out that we have not seen a truly devastating earthquake in that region for more than 200 years.  So why be concerned about one now? (Read More...)

Monster Sinkholes An Indication That Major Earth Changes Are Coming Along The New Madrid Fault?

The most powerful earthquakes in the history of the United States happened along the New Madrid Fault in 1811 and 1812.  Those earthquakes were reportedly felt more than 1,000 miles away.  Scientists assure us that one day we will once again see very powerful earthquakes along the New Madrid fault.  It is only a question of when it will happen. Today, the New Madrid fault zone covers portions of Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee and Mississippi.  However, a major earthquake of magnitude-8.0 or greater would likely have a dramatic effect all the way from the Great Lakes all the way down to the Gulf of Mexico.  When most Americans speak of the “big one”, they think of what may happen along the coast of California someday, but the truth is that a New Madrid earthquake could potentially do far more damage.  So is there evidence that the New Madrid fault zone is waking up?  Yes, there is.  According to Bloomberg, there has been “a sixfold increase in the number of earthquakes that have shaken the central part of the U.S. from 2000 to 2011”.  Much of that increase is being blamed on human activity such as mining, drilling and fracking.  So could human activity aggravate the fault zone so much that it could set off a truly history-making earthquake at some point?  Well, the potential is certainly there.  That is why so many people are so concerned about the monster sinkholes that have appeared in the region in recent months.  For example, a massive sinkhole down in Louisiana is now over 8 acres in size and it has forced hundreds of people to flee from their homes.  You can see video of the Louisiana sinkhole right here.  Over in Ohio, a giant sinkhole has suddenly formed that is more than 30 feet deep and that is the size of four football fields.  That sinkhole caused part of State Route 516 to collapse and authorities say that it will likely be closed for many months.  You can see video of the gigantic sinkhole in Ohio right here.  Are these monster sinkholes an indication that major earth changes are coming along the New Madrid fault?  Has reckless human activity awoken a sleeping giant that we should never have messed with? (Read More...)