Storegga Slide tsunami Shetland 6100 BC wave height

An ancient underwater landslide sent a tsunami toward Scotland

Around 8,000 years ago, a vast submarine landslide occurred off the coast of Norway. The displaced water generated the Storegga tsunami, which reached parts of the North Atlantic coastline, including Scotland and Shetland. Geological deposits reveal that some locations experienced extremely high run-up, although exact wave heights varied greatly with coastal geography.

Earth's atmosphere is a shield against cosmic X-rays

X-rays from space are absorbed high in Earth's atmosphere, long before they can reach the ground. This protects life from much of the universe's high-energy radiation, but it also hides X-ray sources from ordinary observatories. To observe black holes, neutron stars and other X-ray-emitting objects, astronomers must send their detectors above the atmosphere.

Participants obeyed despite believing they caused harm

In the Milgram obedience experiment, ordinary American participants followed an authority figure’s orders even when they believed they were causing an innocent person severe suffering or apparent death.

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Storegga Slide tsunami Shetland 6100 BC wave height

An ancient underwater landslide sent a tsunami toward Scotland

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