Civilizations may fall. But Egypt’s Great Pyramid of Giza has stood for nearly 5,000 years. Scientists finally know how it survived earthquakes.
The pyramid tends to vibrate differently than the soil around it. This prevents excessive shaking during an earthquake. The pyramid also has a sturdy shape and structures within it that spread out its mass. Together, these features have kept the structure intact and stable.
Let’s learn about earthquakes
It’s “no surprise” that the pyramids resist earthquakes, says Sherif El-Tawil. But the new study offers important clues about how the pyramids have escaped damage, he says. A civil engineer at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, El-Tawil did not take part in this new work.
Of the ancient Seven Wonders of the World, the Great Pyramid is the last st...
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