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E-book
Author Hough, Susan Elizabeth, 1961- author.

Title The great quake debate : the crusader, the skeptic, and the rise of modern seismology / Susan Hough
Published Seattle : University of Washington Press, [2020]

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Description 1 online resource (x, 317 pages) : illustrations, maps
Contents Bailey Willis -- Robert T. Hill -- Intersecting orbits -- Parting company and facing disaster -- Golden State -- Framing the debate -- At the epicenter -- The prediction -- The book -- Retrenchment -- The climax -- Settling the score -- Theater -- Epilogue: Legacies and lessons
Summary "This book explores the famous clash between two high-profile scientists over a consequential question: Is California earthquake country? Set in the first half of the twentieth century, when seismology was still in its infancy, this debate had life-or-death consequences for the millions of people migrating west. After the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, people wanted to know: Is it safe? And how can we best prepare for the next big one? Susan Hough focuses on the renowned geologist Bailey Willis as a crusading protagonist, and Robert T. Hill as the man who played his nemesis. Working in the tradition of Simon Winchester, who uses stories about lost historical figures to explore complex questions of science and society, Hough uses entwined biographies of the two men to offer a lively and accessible account of how step-by-step we learned about earthquakes-and the ways that politics and financial interests hindered that conversation. Embedded in this debate are two epic earthquakes: the 1925 Santa Barbara earthquake and the 1933 Long Beach earthquake. Both were responsible for scores of deaths, an incredible amount of damage, and both were turning points for our scientific knowledge and for mainstreaming the idea of earthquake safety. While offering readers a fascinating overview of earthquake science, The Great Quake Debate sheds light on enduring questions surrounding the environmental hazards on our dynamic planet. What challenges face scientists bearing bad news in the public arena? How do we balance risk and the need to sustain communities and cities? And are we ready for the next big one?"-- Provided by publisher
Bibliography Includes bibliographical references and index
Notes Description based on online resource; title from digital title page (viewed on August 11, 2020)
Subject Willis, Bailey, 1857-1949.
Hill, Robert Thomas, 1858-1941.
SUBJECT Hill, Robert Thomas, 1858-1941
Willis, Bailey, 1857-1949
Hill, Robert Thomas, 1858-1941 fast
Willis, Bailey, 1857-1949 fast
(FrPBN)17909624 Hill, Robert Thomas, 1858-1941. ram
(FrPBN)12499884 Willis, Bailey, 1857-1949. ram
Subject Seismology -- California, Southern -- History -- 20th century
Geologists -- United States -- Biography
Earthquake prediction -- California, Southern -- History -- 20th century
Earthquakes -- California, Southern -- History -- 20th century
SCIENCE / Earth Sciences / Seismology & Volcanism
Earthquake prediction
Earthquakes
Geologists
Seismology
Sismologie -- États-Unis -- Californie (États-Unis) -- Histoire.
Southern California
United States
Genre/Form Electronic books
Biographies
History
Form Electronic book
LC no. 2019045529
ISBN 9780295747378
0295747374