IRIS
has assisted Thirteen/WNET in New York and Granada Television in the production
of a four hour PBS series "Savage Earth" about volcanoes, earthquakes
and tsunamis. The series premiered in July 1998 and is accompanied by educational
web sites that can be found at these locations:
www.wnet.org/savageearth
www.pbs.org/savageearth
Members of the IRIS Education and Outreach Committee served as scientific advisors for the script, helped develop material for the web site, and responded to public questions about earthquakes in the "ask the expert" web site forum. The IRIS web site and the Seismic Monitor are included as direct links from the WNET and PBS web sites.
The series featured footage from notable earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis around the world. Concepts such as liquefaction and site response were presented using examples from Mexico City and Loma Prieta. Viewers were cautioned at the end with reminders that two of the most devastating earthquakes in recent history - Northridge and Kobe - occurred on faults that were previously unknown; and that historical records indicate that great earthquakes have hit North America in the past.