George Plafker

George Plafker (March 6, 1929 – April 2, 2026) was an American geologist and scientist who studied earthquakes and the movement of Earth's plates. He focused his research on important natural events like undersea earthquakes that can cause big waves called tsunamis, and he worked a lot in Alaska.

One of Plafker's biggest achievements came after the huge earthquake in Alaska in 1964. By studying this event carefully, he discovered that the strongest earthquakes happen when parts of the Earth's crust slip past each other along special lines called faults. This was a big idea at the time because many scientists were still learning about how the Earth's plates move.

Plafker also did important work in other places, like Chile, where he looked at a series of strong earthquakes in the late 1960s. His discoveries helped scientists understand more about how our planet works. Plafker lived a long life and passed away on April 2, 2026, at the age of 97.

Awards

George Plafker received many honors for his important work. In 2017, he was given the Penrose Medal by the Geological Society of America and the Harry Fielding Reid Medal from the Seismological Society of America. These awards recognized his big contributions to studying earthquakes and how the Earth moves.