On December 26, 2004, a gigantic earthquake ripped apart the floor of the Indian Ocean off the coast of Sumatra. The force of the quake, transmitted upward to the surface, sent a tsunami, or a series of giant waves, in all directions toward unprotected shores and unwarned populations, many in remote areas or secluded vacation spots. Within 12 hours, more than 200,000 people had been killed, and many more left injured or homeless, their livelihoods destroyed. Cities and villages lay in ruins. Even the geography of the Earth was changed. But as the affected countries, with help from around the...

On May 6, 1937, the celebrated airship Hindenburg caught fire during its landing in Lakehurst, New Jersey, killing 36 people. A German zeppelin, the Hindenburg was the largest airship ever built. It made numerous transatlantic journeys, offering passengers comfort and luxury during the years of the Great Depression. What was supposed to be a routine landing on the first transatlantic flight of the season ended in tragedy. Present at the site were many journalists, who were on hand to record the tragedy for the entire world to see, etching the indelible images on the minds of generations to...