When an earthquake or disaster strikes, Californians for decades have turned to famed seismologist Lucy Jones — and now the “earthquake lady” has launched her own podcast to keep information flowing in a world undergoing “chaos.”
Jones, a Caltech earthquake scientist, is well-known and respected around the region for her earthquake and disaster preparedness expertise — along with her many media appearances over the years. She’s been referred to as the “Beyonce of Earthquakes” by the Los Angeles Times.
The launch of her new weekly podcast, “Getting Through It,” was announced recently by the Dr. Lucy Jones Center for Science and Society, which Jones founded in 2016.
“I realized that people want to hear from me, and I wanted to be in service to the community that is dealing with unprecedented times in trying to understand the world,” Jones said in a news release. “The mission of my Center is to ensure science is used to build more resilient communities, and this new project amplifies those key issues to a broad audience when they need it most.”
Jones said the podcast, which launched on June 15, will cover a range of topics from earthquakes to other disasters, and will also delve into historical information about science and big disasters.
“My goal is to give listeners calm, clear information and insights that they can use to live life more safely, more meaningfully, and more comfortably in the chaotic world around us all,” Jones said.
In her first podcast, titled “Surviving the Pandemic with Science,” Jones discussed why wearing a face mask is one of the best defenses against the spread of the coronavirus by people who are not yet symptomatic.
“Think of how it fogs up your glasses, that’s the moisture carrying the virus, getting caught and not getting out to infect someone else,” Jones explained. “Wearing a mask is mostly about so you don’t infect someone else in case you already have the virus.”
Jones co-hosts “Getting Through It” with John Bwarie, the center’s deputy director. The two co-created The Great Shake-Out and have worked together to on policy related to seismic safety in Los Angeles and communities across California.
Jones spent more than 30 years working for the U.S. Geological Survey before retiring in 2016.
To listen to “Getting Through It,” visit drlucyjonescenter.org.
