Earthquakes are the planet releasing centuries of accumulated strain in a matter of seconds. We look at what is actually happening underground, why the magnitude scale is far more brutal than it appears, why some moderate quakes kill more people than large ones, and why reliable short-term prediction remains out of reach.

You'll come away understanding the difference between magnitude and intensity, what makes a building survive, and why Australia gets earthquakes despite sitting nowhere near a plate boundary.

Talking Science is sponsored by Kinsoft. Visit www.kinsoft.com.au

Further reading: Geoscience Australia earthquake resources; USGS earthquake hazards program; IRIS seismology education.