Recent horrifying natural disasters such as the Banda Aceh Indonesia tsunami and the Bam, Iran, and Muzaffarabad, Pakistan earthquakes - among the worst in history - show that the burgeoning world population is clearly expanding faster than our reduction technology can handle. A greatly needed update, "Encyclopedia of Earthquakes and Volcanoes, Third Edition" provides a single source on historical earthquakes and volcanic eruptions for the student and layperson alike doing research on this subject. The changes in this timely new edition are many. This third edition now includes not only new events but also as many examples of historical earthquakes as possible for contrast or comparison. Its significantly expanded coverage in the Middle East reflects the world's focus in recent years. And because many of these disasters involve destruction by landslides and avalanches, there are now more entries related to such events and processes, including tsunami research and technology. In addition, many tables were added to place the magnitude of these recent disasters into historical context.