Live Bacteria Could Reduce Earthquake Damage

When earthquakes strike in sandy soil, the ground can turn to a liquid-like state that proves disastrous for buildings. The phenomenon, called liquefaction, is common around bays and near the sea. It destroyed several buildings in low-lying areas in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake in San Francisco.

Now scientists hope to turn such sandy soils into solid rock by injecting live bacteria into the ground. Civil engineers already know they can inject chemicals into loose soil to bind grains together. But the chemicals are toxic.