Stunning Map Reveals World's Earthquakes Since 1898

By Andrea Mustain, OurAmazingPlanet Staff Writer | LiveScience.com – Fri, 29 Jun, 2012

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  More than 100 years of earthquakes glow on a world map.

If you've ever wondered where — and why — earthquakes happen the most, look no further than a new map, which plots more than a century's worth of nearly every recorded earthquake strong enough to at least rattle the bookshelves.

The map shows earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater since 1898; each is marked in a lightning-bug hue that glows brighter with increasing magnitude.

The overall effect is both beautiful and arresting, revealing the silhouettes of Earth's tectonic boundaries in stark, luminous swarms of color.

The map's maker, John Nelson, the user experience and mapping manager for IDV Solutions, a data visualization company, said the project offered several surprises.

"First, I was surprised by the sheer amount of earthquakes that have been recorded," Nelson told OurAmazingPlanet. "It's almost like you could walk from Seattle to Wellington [New Zealand] if these things were floating in the ocean, and I wouldn't have expected that."

In all, 203,186 earthquakes are marked on the map, which is current through 2003. And it reveals thestory of plate tectonics itself.

Earthquake makers

The long volcanic seams where Earth's crust is born appear as faint, snaking lines cutting through the world's oceans. The earthquakes along these so-called spreading centers tend to be rather mild. The best studied spreading center, called the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, bisects the Atlantic Ocean, on the right side of the image.

Its Pacific counterpart wanders along the eastern edge of the Pacific Ocean, cutting a wide swath offshore of South America. Another spreading center makes a jog though the Indian Ocean and up through the Red Sea.

But one glance at the map shows that the real earthquake action is elsewhere. [7 Ways the Earth Changes in the Blink of an Eye]

Subduction zones, the places where tectonic plates overlap and one is forced to dive deep beneath the other and into the Earth's crushing interior — a process that generates the biggest earthquakes on the planet — stand out like a Vegas light show.

Nelson said this concept hit home particularly for the Ring of Fire, the vast line of subduction zones around the northern and western edge of the Pacific Ocean.

"I have a general sense of where it is, and a notion of plate tectonics, but when I first pulled the data in and started painting it in geographically, it was magnificent," Nelson said. "I was awestruck at how rigid those bands of earthquake activity really are."

That realization prompted one big decision about the map's design, Nelson said. Unlike many maps made in the United States, this one is centered over the Pacific Ocean. "That looked like where the magic was happening," Nelson said. California, a spot rattled by quakes where faults jolt horizontally, also shines brightly.

Teaching tool

There are undoubtedly many earthquakes missing, given the dramatic change in scope and accuracy of seismological instruments from 1898 to the present day. Nelson said he saw a huge jump in the volume of data from the 1960s forward. Yet even without the complete catalog of earthquakes, the map provides a striking visual reference — even though none of the data are new.

All the earthquake information and maps are freely available on the Internet courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey, university and state partners in California, and NASA.

"There's nothing new about plotting earthquakes," Nelson said. "It's just presenting it in an interesting way."

And although he was modest about his own role as a designer, Nelson emphasized the value of design in making data more engaging. The project was a follow-up to a recent map of more than 50 years of tornado tracks across the United States; he said both maps are designed to get people more interested in the larger phenomena behind them. "To get them to start asking questions," Nelson said.

In short, a colorful map will grab people more than an Excel spreadsheet, even when both contain the same information.

"It seems almost superficial, but it's true," Nelson said. "If something is treated with thoughtful design, then it becomes better."

Reach Andrea Mustain at amustain@techmedianetwork.com. Follow her on Twitter@AndreaMustain.Follow OurAmazingPlanet for the latest in Earth science and exploration news on Twitter @OAPlanet. We're also on Facebook & Google+. 

Make money like a rich person

Knowing how the 1% got that way can help point you in their direction.

Visit the Wild West

Six of 10 multimillionaires say "taking some risk" was key to building their wealth, reports Spectrem, a wealth research firm.

One high-risk investment with potentially big gains, says planner Chris Cordaro: so-called frontier markets, like Vietnam, Sri Lanka, and Kazakhstan. "They have the valuations and growth potential that emerging markets used to," says Cordaro.

To gain entry, go with an ETF like Guggenheim Frontier Markets (FRN) with big bets on Chile, Egypt, and Colombia and smaller stakes in places like Lebanon and Kazakhstan where it's difficult for Americans to invest. Plus, it's cheap, charging just 0.7% of assets. 

Scout out deals

"Most millionaires are coupon clippers," says Thomas Stanley, co-author of The Millionaire Next Door. They're also deliberate vs. recreational shoppers using a detailed list to save time and money.

"The more time you spend in a store, the more you're likely to spend," says Stanley.

Indeed, 72% of those with a net worth between $5 million and $25 million indicated that frugality was one of the top five reasons for the wealth they'd built.

So don't be above hunting for discounts in the bargain racks, waiting for sales before you buy, claiming loyalty-card rewards, and generally looking for ways to save a buck rather than paying full price. 

Readers weigh in: Be like Buffett

"I follow Warren Buffett's advice: Be fearful when others are greedy, and greedy when others are fearful. It's a reminder that down days are buying opportunities and nothing goes up forever." -- Brian Frain, Milwaukee, Wisc.

Practice patience

Millionaires tend to live in their homes for a very long time (about half of them for more than 20 years), hold their stocks for long periods, and even stay married longer (only 4% are divorced or separated).

The reward of sticking with it: You don't lose money to transaction costs and you ride out market slumps, so in the end all of your investments typically pay off. 

Embrace your humble abode

There are three times more millionaires living in homes valued under $300,000 than are living in houses worth $1 million or more. Smart approach.

Historically, stocks have handily beaten the returns on real estate and lately, prices on smaller homes have held up better than larger ones. 

Be your own boss

Wealthy households are more likely than others to be headed by a business owner, according to the Kauffman Foundation for Entrepreneurial Leadership.

A turnkey approach to ownership: Buy a franchise. These four that follow have a relatively low cost of entry and won high marks for their financial prospects and franchisee satisfaction in a 2011 Franchise Business Review survey:

HEAVEN'S BEST CARPET & UPHOLSTERY CLEANING

The business: The company is now in 1,500 towns and cities because of its popular quick-dry cleaning technique.

Investment: $29,000 to $64,000

PADGETT BUSINESS SERVICES

The business: Specializing in tax and payroll services for small businesses, this is a good fit for corporate refugees.

Investment: $106,000

U.S. LAWNS

The business: This commercial lawn maintenance company will train those with no background in the industry.

Investment: $50,000 to $75,000

VISITING ANGELS

The business: Franchisees of this provider of non-medical home care to seniors and other adults average $10,000 to $50,000 in first-year revenue.

Investment: $60,000 to $80,000 

Trick yourself into getting richer

By Carla Fried | Money – Tue, 26 Jun, 2012 8:39 PM EDT

The mind is a powerful tool, especially when it comes to spending and saving. Whether it's by going over your finances in a different language or putting on a smile at work, tricking yourself into thinking differently about your finances can make a huge difference.

This is part of a special report on 101+ ways to build wealth. In this story, readers and experts weigh in with advice on how you can turn behavioral foibles into assets rather than liabilities.

Weigh decisions in Espanol. In his recent book, "Thinking, Fast and Slow," Nobel Prize-winning psychologist Daniel Kahnemann explains that human brains are of two minds: the fast, intuitive decision-maker and the slower, more analytical ponderer.

When it comes to finances, people often let their fast-twitch muscles do the deciding.

A new University of Chicago study suggests an antidote: Think through a financial situation in a non-native language, which can lead you to better considered decisions. "It makes you slow down and think it through more," says Boaz Keysar, the professor who led the research.

No habla a foreign tongue? Keysar says that focusing on why you're making a particular decision can help you gain objectivity.

Don't worry, be happy. A Brookings study found happier workers ended up with higher incomes.

So curb connecting to work 24/7 to spend more time with friends and family -- that's key to happiness, finds University of Pennsylvania prof Martin Seligman.

Personalize your accounts.

People who labelled their savings accounts with specific goals put away 31% more money than those who didn't, according to ongoing research sponsored by Innovations for Poverty Action. Those results suggest that assigning meaningful names makes your goals seem tangible. So attach a moniker to your accounts, like "retirement fund" or "anniversary trip."

Use a photo to keep you riveted. Adding a picture of what or who they were saving for (whether it's a motorbike or a child's college education) helped subjects stay committed to their savings goals, according to a recent study.

So put a nice photo of Junior -- or Harley -- in your wallet. That way, when you're tempted to pull out a credit card for an impulse purchase, you'll have a second thought.

Choose your friends wisely. Fight the urge to keep up with the Joneses by palling around with the right types of people.

"If you spend time around frugal people, you are more likely to mimic their attitudes and actions toward building wealth," says Chicago financial planner Cicily Maton.

Make friends outside the 'hood. A study last year out of the University of Southern California found that the more insular the neighborhood, the more likely an individual would copy or outdo her neighbor's car purchase.

Spend time with the less fortunate. Researchers at the University of New South Wales, Australia, found that for every extra dollar earned by the people around you, you will put 9% less into savings. Another good reason to volunteer in a soup kitchen?

Hang with the folks at the ugly house. Several studies confirm the "neighborhood effect" -- the proclivity of Americans to spend a lot of money improving their houses when others in their area are doing so.

Avoid being sucked in by asking a realtor how much that home theater will add to your property value.

Probably not so much.

Connect to the future you

One key roadblock to retirement saving is the emotional disconnect you may feel toward the idea of your older, retired self. People are reluctant to sacrifice spending today for the sake of someone who feels like a stranger. These steps can help:

Visualize your older self. Young people who looked at aged images of themselves said they'd save twice as much as a control group, a recent study found. Do your own digital aging with apps like AgeMyFacePro.

Imagine your dream retirement. Behavioral economist Shlomo Benartzi suggests picturing exactly how your retirement would look if you saved enough. Then determine what steps you can take to make the vision play out.

Spend time with old folks. In a study led by NYU prof Hal Hershfield, people who were prompted to think about their grandparents were likely to have saved more than those who weren't. Bet Aunt Ida would appreciate a visit anyway.

See what your nest egg buys you. Among investors who got projections on how much income their savings would yield in retirement, those who subsequently decided to change their contributions increased their savings by $800 a year, according to a study from the Financial Literacy Center.

See if the exercise will be a wake-up call for you: Use a retirement-income calculator (find one atcnnmoney.com or troweprice.com) to convert your current 401(k) balance to future income.

Money magazine readers weigh in: Focus on hard numbers, not feelings

"Do the math before making any financial decision. How much money does a company have to make to justify a P/E of 50? How much does a house have to appreciate for buying, rather than renting, to make sense?" -- John Quinn, Queens, N.Y.

Play on your guilt. When you set up automatic transfers to help you save more, a slight tweak can help you fight urges that might have you spending the money before it gets moved.

Instead of transferring the money from a checking to a savings account, split your direct deposit between the two, putting anything beyond fixed expenses in savings right away, suggests Austin financial adviser Tony Aguilar.

"The guilty feeling of transferring money out of a savings account will prevent you from moving it to checking as readily."

Set some ground rules. Studies analyzing stock traders' reactions to viewing their results online have shown that strong emotional reactions tend to lead to poorer performance. So create an investing policy statement that clearly lays out the conditions under which you will sell.

"If you actually write down a plan to limit your allocation shifts to no more than 10% in a down market, you will be less likely to panic and sell everything," says Santa Clara University finance professor Meir Statman, author of "What Investors Really Want."

Give yourself room to play. You know it's prudent to invest mainly in funds but can't resist picking up a few shares when you read about a company with a hot product and seemingly stellar prospects or are convinced a particular industry is about to take off. Then, give in. Yep, give in -- but just a little.

Laura Thurow, director of private wealth management research at R.W. Baird, suggests carving off 10% or so of your portfolio to invest on hunches and urges. "You're giving yourself room to react without completely undermining your long-term strategy," says Thurow.

More 101+ ways to build wealth

Do you know a Money Hero? MONEY magazine is celebrating people, both famous and unsung, who have done extraordinary work to improve others' financial well-being. Nominate your Money Hero.

View this article on Money

10 Ways to Recharge Your Motivation

POST WRITTEN BY: ANGEL

10 Ways to Recharge Your Motivation

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People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.
-Zig Ziglar

Achieving goals is not a matter of possibility, it’s a matter of motivating yourself to focus on the right things.  You know you should be doing something, but sometimes you just don’t feel like doing anything.  This stagnation can last a long time if you don’t head it off and take action.

Here are some daily motivation tricks that work for me:

1.  Get started!

This is by far the most important tip in this article, because in the end, all of the other tips in the world won’t make as much of a difference as this simple and timeless instruction: Sit down and start!  Do you feel the push-back of laziness?  There’s no better way to overcome it than to just start.  Reading more about motivation won’t help.  Reviewing your to-do lists won’t help.  Only doing actually helps get the momentum going.  And the only way to do something is to just start.

So stop thinking about how hard the task is going to be or how long it’s going to take you.  Just get started!  Not starting is failing.  Start telling yourself, “As soon as I start working, I’ll feel more motivated.”  Because once you start, you’ll realize it’s not nearly as hard as you thought it would be.  Read Getting Things Done.

2.  Find and use your positive voice.

As Henry Ford once said, “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.”  Be aware of your self-talk and stay positive.  Positive thinking can be amazingly powerful.

You have the choice to replace negative self-talk with a more encouraging and friendly voice.  A voice that will consider your goal as not just a possibility, but aprobability.  A voice that does not look externally for validation before taking action, but rather uses self-belief as its driving force.  A voice that realizes that any person who has ever achieved greatness had to do so against similar odds, and that all things are possible to those who commit to their vision.

Tell yourself over and over again that you can do it.  Try saying, “I want to go to the gym,” “I am going to nail this presentation,” “I am going to have a great day,” etc.  See what effect it has.  Persist with this kind of positivity and eventually you’ll feel better about whatever it is you want to get done, and you’ll even start to fool your unconscious into believing it’s true.

3.  Spend time with people who inspire you.

What better way to recharge yourself for improvement than spending time with someone who inspires you.  They are smart, driven and motivate you to be better.  Study their qualities.  Study their habits.  Surround yourself with them, talk to them, learn from them; they are already living and producing results at a level you admire and aspire to.  Compare stories, successes and failures.  Let their inner light guide you.

4.  Start a friendly competition.

You can really raise your motivation with some friendly competition.  We are all competitive in nature, take advantage of this by using it to fuel your motivation.  Find a co-worker or friend with similar goals and turn it into a competition or game.  The key is to find a way to make it fun.  This will make the task or project seem less like work and more like play; and it will also encourage you to avoid defeat.

While you’re at it, mutually support each other toward your goals.  Staying motivated on your own can be tough.  A partner in crime always helps

5.  Think about how far you have come.

You have made so much progress, you just don’t realize it.  Open your eyes and give yourself credit for all that you have accomplished.  Think about it.  Write down your past successes.  Consider using a journal to keep track of them.  You’ll probably be pleasantly surprised when you review your results.  It’s a great motivator to see how much you have improved and how far you have come.  You felt at the top of your game before and you can do it again.

And don’t forget to be patient.  The problem with many of us is that we expect quick results.  Think long term.  If you want to run a marathon, you won’t be able to do it overnight.  If you don’t see the results you want, don’t give up, give it time.  Think of your goal as a long-term journey, and your slump is just a little bump in the road.  In the mean time, be happy with your progress.  Read The Magic of Thinking Big.

6.  Embrace failure as a positive learning experience.

Ask yourself: What have I learned from this?  As Michael Jordan once said:

“I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

Do not judge failed attempts and mistakes as an indication of your future potential, but as part of the growth process.  Something does not have to end well for it to have been one of the most valuable experiences of a lifetime.  When times get tough, take a deep breath, and know that most great things come when you least expect it.  Being defeated is a temporary condition; giving up is what makes it permanent.  And most people that gave up didn’t realize how close they were to success.  Push through!

7.  Review, refine and breakdown your goals.

Set and pursue S.M.A.R.T. goals.  These goals must be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely.  And don’t be afraid to set big S.M.A.R.T. goals either.  Establish goals that inspire you even if they seem slightly out of reach at the moment.  If you set goals that are too easy to achieve, you likely achieve far less than you are capable of.  As Les Brown said, “Shoot for the moon, and if you miss you will still be standing among the stars.”

Break down your big S.M.A.R.T. goals into realistic, high impact tasks that you can track.  The thought of accomplishing a huge task can be overwhelming.  Try taking small bites at a time.  Break down your large tasks into mini goals.  Daily actions will yield greater benefits than biting off more than you can handle.  When you start to see your progress you’ll feel more alert and ready to tackle the next step.

For example, if you want to change careers, that goal may be driven by several smaller goals like going back to school, improving your networking skills, updating your resume or getting a new certification; and each of these smaller goals is then supported by even more granular sub-goals and associated daily tasks.  And it is these small daily tasks that, over time, drive and motivate larger achievement.

Also, make sure your goals are truly YOURS, and in line with your values.  If you’re striving for someone else’s goals you are never going to be motivated to pursue them.

8.  Let the whole world know what you’re up to.

When you’re trying to do something you’ve never done before, it can take a lot of concentration and effort, and life can get lonely pretty quickly.  To keep your motivation thriving, it’s important to let others know what you’re up to.  Don’t be shy!  Announce to the world that you are going to achieve a certain goal by a certain date.

Trap yourself.  None of us want to look bad in front of friends, family and co-workers.  If you’ve made a commitment to all of them, then the shame of saying you didn’t try will outweigh the effort of doing it.  Hold yourself accountable, don’t just commit once, but commit to giving progress updates to everyone at least once a week.

9.  Visualize your successful outcome in great detail.

Before we do anything our minds start seeing pictures of how everything might turn out.  Close your eyes and visualize how great the events will unfold – see yourself smiling, hear yourself being positive and feel how great you will feel doing the task, leading the project, playing the game, attending the meeting.  Form as clear a mental picture as possible.  Do this every morning for at least five minutes.  This is a surprisingly effective technique that will raise your motivation and enthusiasm, and get you into the right mood before you begin working each day.

Another great visualization / motivation technique is to post physical reminders all around you.  Post a picture of your goal in a place you’ll see every day.  Set it as your desktop wallpaper, or post it on your wall, refrigerator or bathroom mirror.  The idea is to keep your mind focused on end result and keep your excitement going.

10.  Spend some time every day working on a passion.

There are some things in life that you just have to do, even if you aren’t passionate about it – cleaning the house, paying bills, finishing that task for your boss, etc.  But the dilemma of doing these things is greatly reduced if you spend a decent amount of time each day working on something you love – something you’re truly passionate about.  Because subconsciously you know that regardless of what you’re doing, your passion is still part of your day.  Read The How of Happiness.

So make time to focus on doing something you really want to do.  Take an hour break and work on something that’s meaningful to you.  Engage yourself in a meaningful personal project, or pull the trigger on starting something you’ve wanted to do for a long time, but haven’t yet had the resolve to do.  Do so, and your motivation and happiness will skyrocket.