So recently while playing my switch in handheld mode, I felt something strange on the back. Looking at it, I found a massive crack going all of the way from the power button down to the bottom of the switch, with several smaller branching cracks.
I have seen other posts about users having cracks in the shell, but never to this extent- They're always small and barely noticeable. Unlike mine, where one side it noticeably raised over the other.
When too much groundwater gets pumped up from the natural aquifers below the surface, it causes the land to sag and create these cracks, Joseph Cook, who researches Earth fissures at the Arizona Geological Survey, told Insider.
A massive crack suddenly appeared in Kenya, prompting new discussion on the breakup of Africa into two land masses. The crack continues to grow in size as heavy rainfall in Kenya's Narok County exacerbates the kilometer-sized chasm.
While the larger rifting system could be the underlying mechanism for the 50 feet deep and 66 feet wide chasm, the sudden appearance was likely due to heavy rainfall in the area, exposing the crack. The surface expression of the rifting is responsible for a wide zone of volcanism, seismic activity, uplift and subsidence of the ground, and the creation of fissures and cracks.
I try to water my lawn 3 to 4 times a week so my grass doesn't all die. My lawn is doing pretty well considering how dry it's been here, but I have been noticing these really large cracks in different places that are due to the dryness.
Yes, sand is an excellent drainage material and will aid water getting down deep into your soil, but I believe you want to try and close up those cracks and prevent them from returning, therefore I think you would be better served by making the top 12 to 18inches (300 to 450mm) of soil as fertile as possible, thus allowing that soil zone to hold as much water as it can. That said, I would fill those cracks with finely sieved (inch/6.25mm) compost (maybe with some gardening sand mixed in) & compost tea.
Make 5 gallons of compost tea each week (from late Spring to earlier Autumn "Fall") and apply the 5 gallon batch to the front garden one week, then the following week apply a new fresh 5 gallon batch to the back garden. I repeat that cycle for the period given previously. I have been doing this for 2 years now, and without question I have noticed a massive increase in worm activity eg lots of worm castings on the surface of the soil.
All you can do is keep the ground as watered as possible. I'm in Bedford, so I'm having the same problems. The major thing to keep track of is that the soil around the foundation of your house doesn't start to pull away; that can cause thousands of dollars in damage as the foundation loses its footing. Other than that, the cracks will fill in when the rains return.
I used to live in Texas and I know just what you mean. :) Keeping the ground moist is all you can do to try to prevent it. As far as your foundation goes yes it can cause some serious problems. the only thing that you can do to prevent it is to water around your foundation. Make sure that you are not starting to develop cracks in the ground around your foundation because it could cause the foundation to crack and sink into the whole from the graound. I am sure you have been in many homes out there where you can see cracks in people's sheetrock and cieling. That is what causes that. It can also be very expensive to repair.
I added soaker hoses all around my house 10 years ago. I have them hooked up to 1 faucet. I run the water for 2 hrs. once a week for a deep soak. It has prevented any large cracks within 3 foot of my foundation. I have the clay soil here in Saginaw Texas also. I also added 1 inch of sandy loam on my yard last year. It helped. I plan on adding sandy loam every 5 years.
Geological observations reveal that mid-ocean ridges are segmented by numerous rigid and nonrigid discontinuities. A hierarchy of segmentation, ranging from large, long-lived segments to others that are small, migratory, and transient, determines the pattern and timing of creation of new ocean floor. To the extent that spreading segments behave like giant cracks in a plate, the crack propagation force at segment tips increases with segment length, which may explain why long segments tend to lengthen and prevail over shorter neighboring segments. Partial melting caused by decompression of the upper mantle due to plate separation and changes in the direction of spreading result in the spawning of new short segments so that a balance of long and short segments is maintained.
If it gets boggy in wet weather and like this in dry weather you have clay soil (congrats, although it is a bit like geological butter if incorporate some manure you will have roses and cabbages to die for). Am guessing if in the UK you are in the esteem side: clay is the legacy of the last ice age glaciers which all melted towards the SE. Unlikely to affect your property structurally if it is a standard structure build- ie if there are big trees nearby, within 10 feet- you might get some heave/slip if you were to remove them all overnight you might get some issues but with modern foundations and construction you should be okay. If you have probs internally like wrinkling paper on walls, all doors sticking on same side, cracks in tiles etc, might be worth a structural survey. Bon courage.
Iceland is preparing for a possible volcanic eruption after the nation was rattled by a series of earthquakes which has since prompted officials to declare a state of emergency. Huge cracks could be seen on roads in the Icelandic town of Grindavik, where most of the tremors took place.
A new study from Clean Energy Associates (CEA) shows that 83% of sites tested as part of a global survey had line cracks, 78% had a soldering anomaly and 76% had complex cracks. The survey involved visual inspections combined with electroluminescence testing across 148 sites in 16 countries.
According to the report, published yesterday, CEA experts found that about 29% of the sites were impacted by edge-ribbon cracks, as well as 81% of sites with half-cut cells. There was an exponential growth of microcrack cases in the first half of 2023, with line and complex cracks both growing 47% compared to a year earlier, the report said.
Then, after a period of heavy rainfall late last month, a massive crack was exposed. According to the local news outlet, Daily Nation, it measures 50 feet deep and 65 feet wide in some spots.
Geologist David Adede, who spoke with the paper, said the crack was likely filled previously with volcanic ash from nearby Mt. Longonot. This means the space was only exposed when rainwater washed the ash away.
Reuters reports that the opening formed rapidly. One resident named Eliud Njoroge Mbugua saw the crack run through his home. He was only narrowly able to collect some of his belongings before his house collapsed.
So what caused the break in the first place?
Geologists have been monitoring the appearance of new cracks indicative of this ongoing shift. For instance, a 35-mile fissure that emerged in 2005 already suggests the formation of a new sea near Ethiopia.
Furthermore, a separate fissure tore through Kenya in 2018 after heavy rainfall, prompting evacuations and causing disruption to roadways. Macdonald believes that more such cracks will continue to appear due to the action of the Eastern African Rift.
The part is very small, about 20 mm for 10 mm. I'm then importing it to Cura and I notice they are huge cracks on the part when simulating/previewing the print, I'm using a Monoprice mini printer, 100 % infill, and 0.0437 mm.:
What is happening in the south-western United States is that so much groundwater has been extracted, for uses ranging from food to agriculture, that the ground is opening up, forming giant cracks several miles wide. This is because the soil gives way and splits as natural freshwater levels decrease in it.
Joseph Cook, a researcher at AZGS, explained to Insider that, When too much groundwater is pumped from natural aquifers below the surface, it causes the earth to sink and create these cracks. Cracks do not occur naturally. It's something that we caused the formation of."
If you notice sudden cracks all over the home, it can signify that the foundation is gently shifting. If the cracks are minor, this shifting is normal and expected to occur. However, larger cracks (1/4 inch or wider) can signify a major structural issue."}},"@type": "Question","name": "How can you tell if a crack is structural?","acceptedAnswer": "@type": "Answer","text": "Minor or hairline cracks are usually not a sign of structural issues. Symptoms of structural problems include stair-step cracks (cracks that look like a staircase) or big cracks with gaps more than 1/4-inch wide.","@type": "Question","name": "What are the first signs of subsidence?","acceptedAnswer": "@type": "Answer","text": "The most significant signs of subsidence are large cracks (more than 1/4-inch wide) radiating from windows, doorways, and corners. Also, windows and doors become harder to open and close as the frames become unaligned."]}]}] Skip to contentbuttonbuttonVisit The Spruce's homepage NewslettersClose search formOpen search formEnter your search termSearch Decor