We tend to think of earthquakes as purely geological events—the result of shifting tectonic plates and swirling pressure deep beneath our feet. But what if our weather and climate change can also play a role? A new study led by MIT scientists suggests that heavy rains and snowstorms caused by climate change have the potential to trigger earthquakes. The focus of the MIT study was a region in Japan called the Noto Peninsula. This finger-shaped landmass has been experiencing earthquakes for more than a decade. The specific type of earthquake activity observed is known as an earthquake swarm, which is characterized by a series of smaller earthquakes occurring continuously without a clear main event. (Sanjana Gajbhiye, more at earth.com)