Happy Earthquake Day! What is that? you might wonder. Earthquake Day, on April 26 each year, falls on Charles Richter’s birthday, and it is a day to celebrate Richter’s contributions to seismology. Richter was born in Butler County, and he went on to develop the Richter Scale. While he spent most of his life in California, he got his roots in humble southwest Ohio!
Note: This history of Charlies Richter was contributed and written by Anne Jantzen and Carmon Hacker of Trenton, Ohio
After moving to the Golden State with his family at the age of 9, he became a brilliant seismologist who studied earthquakes, which were prevalent in California, and this led him to develop a scale for measuring the magnitude of each earthquake. The Richter Scale is commonly used around the world by everyone from scientists to journalists to people who just want to understand the severity of an earthquake.
How does one celebrate Earthquake Day? One way is to visit a website named for him, Charlesrichter.org. Here you can better understand and appreciate his legacy. You can also access a video entitled “Remarkable Richter,” and view resources for teachers and anyone interested in earthquakes.
If you want to be more hands-on, you can visit the Richter Roundabout in front of Edgewood High School on Busenbark Road in Trenton, and also see an Ohio Historical Marker about him on a small piece of land near the roundabout.
While the term “Richter Scale” is not as widely used as it once was, Richter’s method for measuring the magnitude of earthquakes is still the basis for the measures used today. Earthquake Day was developed partly to honor Richter, the scientist, and to encourage people locally and around the world to be aware of his legacy. It is a legacy of overcoming great obstacles to achieve goals. Richter’s life and his personal struggles continue to inspire scientists and students of science today.
In addition to his developments in seismology, Richter also spent a significant portion of his life promoting earthquake safety by pushing to reinforce buildings against the damaging effects of earthquakes. In his spare time, he even wrote poetry.
Richter’s April birthday occurs during Autism Awareness Month, and it is commonly believed that he had Asperger’s Syndrome, a form of autism. Susan Hough, who wrote Richter’s Scale, notes that he grappled with the challenges of Asperger’s while also making groundbreaking discoveries in the field of seismology.
In addition to being a remarkable scientist, Richter was known to be a naturalist and a thoughtful man by nature, who devoted much of his life to helping others. In his own words, he said, “Don’t wait for extraordinary circumstance to do good; try to use ordinary situations.” His actions show that he accomplished that goal very well.
On February 6 an earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Moment Magnitude Scale (Mw) struck both Turkey and Syria. As you can imagine, the needs of the Turkish and Syrian people are enormous. We encourage you to help by donating to a reputable non profit. After all, it would be a perfect way to honor Richter, a great scientist and gentle humanitarian.🫨Why Are They Called Earthquake Cookies?
Looking for a delicious and indulgent dessert? Look no further than chocolate crinkle cookies! These soft and chewy treats are packed with rich chocolate flavor and are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth. Whether you're baking for a special occasion or just want a tasty treat, these cookies are the perfect choice.
📋 Gather your ingredients and preheat your oven.
Before you can indulge in these decadent chocolate crinkle cookies, you'll need to gather your ingredients and preheat your oven. You'll need all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, granulated sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. With these simple steps, you'll be on your way to enjoying these delicious cookies in no time!
🍪 Delicious Chocolate Crinkle Cookies (Earthquake Cookies!)
Here are some other tips for making these delicious cookies
Chill the dough. Chilling the dough for at least 3 hours before baking will help the cookies hold their shape and prevent them from spreading too much.
Roll the dough in powdered sugar. The powdered sugar will give the cookies their signature crinkles. Be generous with the powdered sugar, and don't be afraid to get your hands dirty.
Bake the cookies until they're just set. Overbaked chocolate crinkle cookies will be dry and hard. Remove them from the oven when they're still slightly soft to the touch.
Let the cookies cool completely before storing them. This will help them hold their shape and prevent them from becoming soggy.
Here are some additional tips:
- If you don't have powdered sugar, you can use granulated sugar. Just be sure to roll the cookies in a little extra sugar to help them crinkle.
- You can add other ingredients to your chocolate crinkle cookies, such as nuts, dried fruit, or white chocolate chips.
- Chocolate crinkle cookies are best enjoyed fresh from the oven, but they can also be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
🍪 More Amish Cookie Recipes
Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookies
🖨️ Full Recipe
Delicious Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 cups flour
- 4oz. unsweetened baking chocolate, melted
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup confectioners sugar
Instructions
Part One
- Mix he vegetable oil, squares of melted chocolate, and granulated sugar.
- Blend in one egg at a time until smooth.
- Measure the flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl.
- Add this mixture to the chocolate, add vanilla, and stir untilsmooth.
- Put in refrigerator overnight or for 6 to 8 hours
PART TWO
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Pour the confectioners sugar into a shallow bowl.
- Form the chocolate mixture into 1-inch balls and roll and them in the sugar.
- Place on well greased or parchment lined baking sheets.
- Bake for 11 to 12 minutes.
- Makes about 4 dozen cookies.
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