"The Big One" Review

In the article "The Big One", Kathryn Schulz writes about the potential earthquakes from the Cascadia subduction zone, a region that covers 700 miles of the Pacific Northwest coast. The article also discusses the danger that region is in, and how the danger is discovered in the first place. Finally, it shows how unprepared the region is for a strong earthquake, and how much time and money it would take to make the necessary safety additions. The author argues that people in the region need to understand the danger of the subduction zone, and that they should quake-proof as much as possible and as soon as possible. The quake that will happen soon (relative to all of history) was predicted based on data that uses historical seismic records from the ocean floor to show the average time between large quakes in the Cascadia. This average was compared to the last earthquake that happened, and it was found that it has been more than the average years from the last quake, meaning a quake could happen soon. The author concludes that the region is heavily unprepared and if the quake hits before the safety measures are completed, then many residents and tourists will lose their lives.

This article puts forward some very significant points about the perceived danger that could become very real in the near future. The arguments support the main point well, with evidence from a variety of sources. The evidence is convincing because it come from trustworthy sources and uses logical science. The article applies to me as a videographer because a large earthquake and he aftermath would be a good thing to film and make a news story about. To conclude, it is a well written article with an interesting and engaging topic.