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Article: Abandoning Richter; how a white lie finally caught up with seismologists. (measuring earthquake magnitude; includes related article) (Cover Story)
- Article from:
- Science News
- Article date:
- October 15, 1994
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1994 Science Service, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Seismologists, as a rule, tend to keep their cool, even when the ground heaves beneath their feet and buildings collapse around them. But these days, earthquake experts are scurrying for cover at the mere mention of two words. Such is the fallout over use of the term "Richter scale" -- a household phrase that lies at the heart of a brewing controversy about conveying earthquake information to the public.
The rhetoric has reached such a pitch that one newspaper columnist pilloried the agency in charge of disseminating earthquake information. "A kick in the butt is what someone ought to give the U.S. Geological Survey for its dithering about how to define the ...