Is science the answer to everything? People across Japan had gathered to welcome 2024 when a powerful earthquake put an end to their celebrations and brought chaos to the country.
Ninety seconds that shattered new year dreams
Devastating quake: 1,000 rescuers have been searching for people buried under the ruins. Glossary
Magnitude - The size of something. Often used to refer to earthquakes.
Epicentre - The central focus of something. In an earthquake, the point on the Earth's surface directly above the focus.
Tsunami - A Japanese word describing a succession of waves caused when an earthquake or volcano displaces a large body of water.
Pacific Rim - The countries on the edge of the Pacific Ocean.
Subduction zones - Spots where two tectonic plates collide and one dives, or subducts, under the other.
Tectonic plates - Pieces of the Earth’s crust and uppermost mantle. They are roughly 100km thick and are moving slowly.