Our Vision: Why Intensity Matters
The case for putting shaking — not magnitude — at the center of earthquake communication.
For decades, the first question after an earthquake has been: "What was the magnitude?" While magnitude tells us the size of the earthquake at its source, it doesn't tell you how hard the ground shook at your front door.
At Intensity Lab, we believe that site-specific intensity is the most vital piece of information for the public. Our vision is a future where news reports prioritize shaking levels over source size. Knowing a quake was a Magnitude 7.0 is less important to a survivor than knowing their neighborhood experienced Intensity VIII (Severe) shaking.
Breaking the "Magnitude Habit"
Magnitude is one number
It describes the total energy released at the earthquake source — the same value regardless of where you are.
Intensity is a map of numbers
It describes the actual effects experienced by people and structures at specific locations — varying with distance, geology, and construction.
The global standard
Countries like Japan already prioritize intensity in their emergency broadcasts. It's time the U.S. follows suit to improve disaster response and public safety.
What We're Building
Intensity Lab bridges the gap between raw USGS seismic data and actionable local information. Every time a significant earthquake occurs in the Western US, we automatically compute site-specific shaking estimates for hundreds of named locations — within minutes of the event.
We pair real-time USGS ShakeMap data with independent physics-based predictions from peer-reviewed Ground Motion Prediction Equations (GMPEs) to deliver both measured and modeled intensity — giving you a complete picture of what the ground actually did, and what the science expected it to do.