Do you think of geoscience as something that you might study in school, but something that does not really have a direct impact on the world? Perhaps it is hard for you to see the real application of this work. One thing to remember is that tectonic plates are studied in this profession, and that information has been able to save lives.

For example, geophysical instruments manufacturered by Advanced Geosciences, Inc. have helped scientists decided exactly where the lines between the tectonic plates lie. These are known as fault lines. When an earthquake occurs, it is caused by the two plates moving against each other. Even a small amount of movement can be enough to send shockwaves out for miles through the soil. This can destroy roads, knock down buildings, and lead to a lot of destruction.

When people know where these lines are located, they can take steps to protect themselves. Just look at how this has been done in San Francisco. There have been some terrific quakes there in the past, and some of them have been very deadly. As people rebuilt the city, they put in measures meant to prevent buildings from falling down during the earthquakes. Engineers strive to make the structures as durable as possible, which often means giving them frames that are designed to move with the earth, rather than resisting it. In this fashion, the knowledge of what lies deep below the planet’s crust has been used to keep people safe when they live on faults.