Digging Up Disaster

Overheard at National Geographic

How did an ancient Roman harbor end up in ruins? Scientists realized the culprit was a long-forgotten natural disaster that left tell-tale geological clues -- and possibly an eyewitness account in an ancient religious text. But solving this mystery led to a bigger question: what if it happens again? For more information on this episode visit nationalgeographic.com/overheard

Want more?

Learn about the science of tsunamis -- including why Indonesia may be due for another big one.

Could earthquakes explain some biblical stories? Scientists matched a tale of "fire and brimstone" with geological records of Israel's seismic history.

A surprise tsunami in 2018 was far worse than early-warning systems expected. Here's what we're learning about different types of earthquakes.

Also explore:

A forgotten, 600-year-old tsunami explains the rise of a powerful Islamic kingdom.

More about Beverly Goodman and her work at the Charney School of Marine Sciences.

And want to learn more about the Talmud? Henry Abramson helps teach it, one page a day.

Scientists didn't know an area in Mexico was prone to big earthquakes - until they factored in centuries-old Aztec records.

If you like what you hear and want to support more content like this, please consider a National Geographic subscription. Go to natgeo.com/exploremore to subscribe today.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices