An understanding of plate tectonics has saved many lives. The benefits of understanding how the Earth moves underneath our feet are enormous. Before the theory of plate tectonics, no one knew why Earthquakes occurred, why volcanoes erupted how and where they did, or why giant waves destroyed entire coastal areas or islands out of nowhere.
With the theory of plate tectonics we not only understand the orientation of the continents millions of years ago, but we also can plan cities intelligently to avoid seismically active areas. We can also predict when a tsunami will occur and gauge the potential devastation of a volcanic eruption before it happens.
