A fascinating look at the Cascadian Subduction Zone in the Pacific Northwest, where scientists predict a major earthquake will occur at some point in the next 100 years, starts with terrific, accessible explanations of plate tectonics and subduction earthquakes. Readers meet researchers looking for evidence of past subduction earthquakes and resulting tsunamis in the region, work that includes scientific research on land and in water, and studying the oral histories of Indigenous communities in the Pacific Northwest and recorded and oral histories in Japan. This account also introduces individuals devoted to mitigating the impact of a major earthquake in the future, from engineers determining how best to reinforce bridges and buildings, to individuals working on the ShakeAlert seismic monitor and notification system. The annual Disaster Relief Trial biking event in several northwest cities mimics post-quake devastation to practice how everyday citizens, including teens shown here, can play a role in emergency response. The sobering reality of a likely natural disaster is balanced here by human effort, ingenuity, and commitment to understanding the past and preparing for the future. (Age 11 and older)

No one ever thought the Pacific Northwest was due for an earthquake, let alone a catastrophic one. But geologists are transforming our understanding of the grave dangers the population in the region of Cascadia face--will there be a big one? And what can be done to save lives?

America's Pacific Northwest has relatively few earthquakes--only a handful each year that cause even moderately noticeable shaking. But a couple decades ago, scientists discovered a geological feature running along the coast that in other parts of the world regularly triggers massive earthquakes of 8.0 magnitude and higher. Were there once massive earthquakes in this part of the world? Geologists think there were. Now a small group of scientists are studying things that you might not think have anything to do with earthquakes--marsh soil, ocean sediments, landslide debris, and ghost forests--and they have reason to believe that the Pacific Northwest is likely not as idyllic as it was once assumed. The population is likely in grave danger of a massive earthquake at some point. What can be done? The big one can't be stopped, but scientists are working tirelessly to learn as much as they can to prepare.