USGS CMG InfoBank: Ancient Myths About Earthquakes

Source: Annenberg/CPB Resources - Earth Revealed - 9. Earthquakes

Keywords: myth, animal, earthquake

Our transcription: Ancient mythology held that tremors occurred due to the movements of giant animals beneath the Earth.

While science has since proved such notions incorrect, these myths did contain at least one element of truth, the cause for the abruptly shifting land does reside deep below our feet.

But instead of the land sitting on a mythological beast, we ride atop a gigantic heat transporting machine that keeps deep rock flowing and churning.