It's well past the holiday hubbub, and a sudden boom on a silent winter night startles you awake. But without Santa to blame, you might be left wondering-what on earth just happened? The answer is a ...

A frost quake, or a cryoseism, might sound scary, but it is a fascinating phenomenon. To understand a frost quake, we have to go back to grade school science. Water expands when it freezes.

A frost quake, or cryoseism, can occur when temperatures drop rapidly and groundwater freezes quickly. The sudden expansion of freezing water can push apart dirt and rocks, creating a loud boom and ...