One hundred years ago this week, San Francisco's ground began to shake. After the massive quake came the fire -- and when it was all over, the city lay in ruins, with thousands dead.

This week on Science Friday, we'll talk about that earthquake, the birth of modern earthquake science, and how disaster preparedness has changed in the last 100 years. What would happen to San Francisco if another massive quake were to strike today? What parallels are there between the 1906 earthquake and fire and more modern disasters such as Hurricane Katrina?

We're broadcasting this week live from San Francisco's Exploratorium. Call in with your questions and comments at 1-800-989-8255 (2-3 Eastern). Teachers, find more information about using Science Friday as a classroom resource in the Kids' Connection.

Guests:
Mary Lou Zoback
Seismologist
Regional Coordinator, Northern California Earthquake Hazards Program
United States Geological Survey
Menlo Park, California

Rich Eisner
Regional Administrator, Coastal Region
Governor's Office of Emergency Services
Oakland, California

Stephen Tobriner
Author, “Bracing for Disaster: Earthquake-Resistant Architecture and Engineering in San Francisco, 1838-1933 (Berkeley: The Bancroft Library and Heyday Press, 2006)
Professor, Architecture
University of California Berkeley
Berkeley, California

Charles Kircher
Structural Engineer
Principal, Charles Kircher & Associates
Mountain View, California

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This segment produced by Karin Vergoth