Why do we picture a tsunami as a giant, cinematic wave, when the reality is far more deceptive—and far more dangerous?

In this episode of No One Is Coming, Lance Still explores the terrifying physics of tsunamis and the hidden history buried right beneath our feet. From the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami to the 2011 Tōhoku disaster in Japan, we look at what happens when the sea stops behaving like the sea and becomes a fast-moving, destructive flood.

The episode also uncovers how a catastrophe can disappear from living memory while its evidence remains behind—in coastal soil, ghost forests, geological records, and Indigenous oral histories. Scientists can read those traces centuries later, reconstructing disasters that entire communities once knew firsthand.

From there, we turn to the human side of survival. Why do people sometimes hesitate when every minute matters? What happens when we wait for confirmation instead of trusting the warning signs in front of us? You’ll hear how a little bit of knowledge helped save an entire beach in Thailand, how a 12-year-old girl helped evacuate a Chilean village in the middle of the night, and why preparedness is less about predicting every contingency than knowing enough to recognize when something has changed.

Featuring:

• Dr. Vasily Titov: Tsunami scientist with NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory and a member of the NOAA Center for Tsunami Research. He has spent decades developing and improving operational tsunami forecasting tools and translating tsunami science into faster, more accurate warnings intended to save lives.
• Dr. Carrie Garrison-Laney: Coastal Hazards Specialist & PMEL Liaison, Washington Sea Grant — A skilled science communicator and trained scientist, Dr. Carrie Garrison-Laney contributes to tsunami hazard research through studies of evidence for past tsunamis and earthquakes in Washington. Her work has improved understanding of past tsunami sources and the timing of tsunami flooding, helping strengthen hazard assessments for coastal residents. She also conducts tsunami hazard outreach and works with emergency managers, maritime groups, and other stakeholders on education and preparedness.
• Dr. Anawat Suppasri: Associate Professor at Tohoku University’s International Research Institute of Disaster Science (IRIDeS) and its Tsunami Engineering Laboratory. His research includes tsunami numerical modeling, tsunami generation, damage surveys, vulnerability, hazard and risk assessment, disaster-prevention education, and cascading disasters.
• Dr. Tina Dura: Associate Professor of Natural Hazards at Virginia Tech. Her research uses coastal geology, sedimentology, microfossils, paleoseismology, modeling, and sea-level evidence to reconstruct the history of major subduction-zone earthquakes and tsunami inundation.
• Elyssa Tappero: Tsunami Program Manager for Washington Emergency Management Division. She works with coastal communities and partners on tsunami preparedness, public education, warning, mitigation, and response planning.

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No One Is Coming is survival for the non-camo crowd: a documentary podcast about disasters, uncertainty, and what ordinary people can do before the plan falls apart.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Everyday Disasters | What Are the Odds

Why can we picture a plane crash so clearly, but barely notice the warning signs in our cars, our homes, or the people beside us?

In this episode of No One Is Coming, Lance Still looks at the risks that come with ordinary life—and why familiarity makes them easy to miss.

From drowsy driving and roadside breakdowns to water stains, dryer vents, smoke alarms, and DIY repairs, the episode asks how small problems announce themselves before they become emergencies. It also examines the harder warnings to read: a person who may be following you, a driver whose anger is escalating, or a medical symptom that might be nothing—or might need help now.

From there, the episode turns to the first move. When should you call 911? What should you do when someone collapses? How can Poison Control help with a possible medication mistake? You’ll hear about CPR, opioid overdose, naloxone, and a few practical ways to prepare while there’s still time to think clearly.

Featuring:

William E. Van Tassel, PhD: Manager of Driver Training Programs at AAA’s national office, with a doctorate in driving safety and decades of experience as a sports-car racer. He explains what attentive driving looks like and how drivers can give themselves more room to respond.

Leah Bolden: Carpenter, contractor, former building-trades instructor, and creator of See Jane Drill. For more than 25 years, she has helped people understand, maintain, and repair their homes.

Arly Streed: Co-host of How to Handyma’am and Field Services Manager at MyHandyma’am. She teaches practical home repair and helps people judge when a project calls for a professional.

Adam O’Neill: Retired LAPD sergeant whose career included patrol, training, undercover narcotics, and gang assignments. He discusses situational awareness and the small decisions that can create distance and options when something feels wrong.

Ricardo Martinez II: Former 911 dispatcher, host of the Within the Trenches podcast, and founder of the #IAM911 movement. He explains what dispatchers need to know when a caller feels threatened or uncertain.

Jared L. Ross, MD: Board-certified emergency physician with a background as a paramedic and firefighter. He discusses heart attacks, strokes, CPR, and the care an ambulance can provide before a patient reaches the hospital.

Shannon Markus, MD: Board-certified emergency physician and public-health professional. She discusses bystander CPR, abnormal breathing, opioid overdose, and how ordinary people can help before emergency responders arrive.

Michael Chary, MD, PhD: Emergency physician, medical toxicologist at Weill Cornell Medicine, and co-director of webPOISONCONTROL. He explains how Poison Control assesses medication mistakes and possible exposures.

Learn more about the episode and find transcripts, expert information, and preparedness resources at nooneiscomingpodcast.com.

Follow No One Is Coming:

• YouTube: @NoOneIsComingPod
• Instagram: @nooneiscomingpodcast
• TikTok: @nooneiscomingpod

No One Is Coming is survival for the non-camo crowd: a documentary podcast about disasters, uncertainty, and what ordinary people can do before the plan falls apart.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.