Alaskans are invited to explore one of the state’s most dramatic and little-understood natural events during an upcoming Science for Alaska lecture focused on the 1912 Denali earthquake.
The talk, titled “Mystery Solved: Revealing the 1912 Denali Earthquake,” will be presented by Carl Tape, professor of geophysics at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. The event takes place on Tuesday, February 10, at 7 p.m. AKST, and is the second in a four-part Science for Alaska 2026 lecture series.
Tape will guide audiences through a scientific mystery dating back to the Alaska Gold Rush era, when a powerful earthquake was felt across much of the North, from Dawson to Nome and from Fairbanks to Seward. Near Denali, early mountaineers were struck by avalanches triggered by the quake in the Alaska Range. The seismic waves from the event traveled around the globe and were recorded by distant seismometers, even though the earthquake’s source long remained uncertain.
Using newly collected geological and geophysical evidence, researchers are now able to rewrite the story of the 1912 event, shedding new light on its origin and what it may mean for future earthquakes in central Alaska.
The lecture can be attended in person at the Schaible Auditorium on the UAF campus, where parking is free after 5 p.m. Those unable to attend in Fairbanks can also watch live via Facebook or Zoom using the event’s official livestream link.
Also Read: What’s Shaking Alaska: Weekly Earthquake Summary (February 4, 2026)
Organizers say the talk is designed for a general audience and offers a rare opportunity to connect Alaska’s past with modern earthquake science.
