YouTube / Arthur Brutter
地震が起きたら机の下に隠れるーー。学校で教わる地震の心得で、まず浮かぶのがこれだろう。
しかし、必ずしも机の下が安全ではないという見方もある。アメリカン・レスキュー・チーム・インターナショナル（ARTI）のダグラス・コップ氏（Douglas Copp）が語ったところによると、1985年のメキシコ大地震の際、天井が落ちて机の下敷きになった子どもたちが大勢いたという。
この問題を解決するために作られた机が話題になっている。Dezeenによると、イスラエルのアーサー・ブラッター氏（Arthur Brutter）が作成した防災机（Earthquake Proof Table）は、1トンの重さのものが落ちてきても耐えられるような特殊な作りとなっている。
新しくなったものは生徒が運べる重さで、非常用以外でももちろん使えるものになっている。また、コスト的にも高くないという。
なお、同様に地震の落下から身を守るテーブルとしては、Haishan Deng氏の作成した三角形の救命スポット（Triangle of Life）を応用した机もある。
関連記事
Biggest U.S. Earthquakes To Hit Lower 48 Since 1900
15. 1992 Cape Mendocino Earthquakes: Magnitude 6.5 - 7.2(01 of15)
A series of three earthquakes struck the Cape Mendocino region on April 25-26, 1992 starting with a magnitude 7.2 quake and two strong aftershocks that registered at magnitude 6.5 and 6.7. The initial quake caused a 3-foot tsunami that hit Crescent City.\n\nNearly 100 people were injured in the first shock which hit just below Humboldt County, but significant damage was sustained after a second and then a third quake hit the same area and already weakened infrastructure.\n\nInformation courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey (credit:WikiMedia)
14. 1971 San Fernando Earthquake: Magnitude 6.6(02 of15)
This earthquake caused tremors that lasted for more than a minute and caused widespread damage and casualties. San Fernando and the city of Sylmar were the worst hit and sustained $505 million in damage and 65 people were killed.\n\nThe most significant destruction caused by the quake was the collapse of two hospitals. The newly-constructed Olive View Hospital was pulled more than a foot off its foundation. \n\nInformation courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey (credit:WikiMedia)
13. 1994 Northridge Earthquake: Magnitude 6.7(03 of15)
The 1994 natural disaster in the Northridge neighborhood of Los Angeles was the costliest earthquake to strike the U.S. NOAA has reported that the quake caused $42 billion in damage in today’s currency, killed 57 people, and injured more than 7,000.\n\nThere were severe effects felt throughout the San Fernando valley and tremors caused damage 85 miles from the epicenter of the quake.\n\nThe event led to an overhaul in insurance policy in California and earthquake coverage was taken out of many plans after insurance companies suffered massive financial losses, according to the USGS. (credit:Getty Images)
12. 2001 Nisqually Earthquake: Magnitude 6.8(04 of15)
The 2001 earthquake originated deep beneath the Earth’s surface as one tectonic plate slipped beneath another within the Cascadia Subduction Zone, according to CNN.\n\nIt created powerful 6.8 magnitude tremors centered in the Puget Sound that seriously damaged the air-traffic control tower at Sea-Tac Airport and almost led to the collapse of the Alaskan Way Viaduct, the Department of Natural Resources reported.\n\nThere were no direct casualties, but 400 people were injured. (credit:WikiMedia)
11. 1925 Santa Barbara Earthquake: Magnitude 6.8(05 of15)
This highly destructive earthquake destroyed almost all of Santa Barbara’s historic center and killed 13 people. Tremors lasted for 15 seconds, but aftershocks were felt for an entire month after the quake.\n\nOne of the most notable events was the destruction of the Sheffield Dam, the only dam to ever fail during an earthquake. The soil beneath the earthen dam liquified during the tremors and the structure burst, sending a 30 million-gallon wall of water through Santa Barbara, covering most of the city with two feet of mud and debris before draining into the ocean.\n\nInformation courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey (credit:WikiMedia)
10. 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake: Magnitude 6.9(06 of15)
The “World Series Earthquake” hit the San Francisco Bay Area during warm-ups for the third game of the 1989 World Series between the San Francisco Giants and the Oakland Athletics. It was a short-lived quake, only lasting 10-15 seconds, but 63 people were killed and nearly 4,000 were injured.\n\nThere was widespread damage throughout San Francisco and Oakland to the tune of several billion dollars.\n\nBecause of the World Series game, the Loma Prieta quake was the first major earthquake with tremors broadcast on television. \n\nInformation courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey (credit:Flickr:California Watch)
9. 1940 El Centro Earthquake: Magnitude 6.9(07 of15)
Also known as the Imperial Earthquake, this powerful event was directly responsible for eight fatalities.\n\nRailroad tracks that crossed the Imperial fault line were destroyed and a large swath of irrigation systems were destroyed including collapsed water tanks, according to the Southern California Earthquake Data Center. (credit:WikiMedia)
8. 1999 Hector Mine Earthquake: Magnitude 7.1(08 of15)
The Hector Mine quake hit at 2:45 a.m. in the middle of the Mojave Desert in Southern California. It awoke residents in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, but it’s remote location caused relatively little damage for such a strong event, according to the Southern California Earthquake Data Center.\n\nThe one casualty of the quake was an Amtrak train that was traveling in the area when tremors struck. The train derailed but sustained only minor, repairable damage. (credit:Getty Images)
7. 1949 Olympia Earthquake: Magnitude 7.1(09 of15)
The largest quake ever recorded in the Puget Sound region, the magnitude 7.1 quake was felt throughout Washington, Oregon and British Columbia and caused $25 million in damage (in 1949 dollars) and 8 casualties.\n\nSeattle’s Pioneer Square district sustained some of the heaviest damage resulting in several condemned buildings and more than a hundred burst gas lines.\n\nInformation courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey (credit:WikiMedia)
6. 1915 Pleasant Valley Earthquake: Magnitude 7.3(10 of15)
This quake is the strongest ever recorded in Nevada, but occurred in an uninhabited part of the state with minimal damage and no loss of life.\n\nTremors were contained within 50 miles of the epicenter in north-central Nevada. Several strong aftershocks destroyed two adobe houses, collapsed mine tunnels and changed small waterways in the area.\n\nInformation courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey (credit:WikiMedia)
5. 1992 Landers Earthquake: Magnitude 7.3(11 of15)
The Landers Earthquake hit Southern California at 4:57 a.m. for two to three minutes, killing three (two of whom had heart attacks) and injuring more than 400 people. It was the most powerful quake in the state in 40 years, but an epicenter in an uninhabited area in the Mojave Desert minimized damage and loss of life.\n\nThe quake led to a 6.5 magnitude aftershock hit Big Bear City, 22 miles west of Landers, three hours later.\n\nInformation courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey (credit:WikiMedia)
4. 1983 Borah Peak Earthquake: Magnitude 7.3(12 of15)
The Borah Peak quake was the largest ever recorded in Idaho, and the most expensive, causing $12.5 million (in 1983 dollars) in damage. Two children were killed by falling masonry while walking to school in the town of Challis, Idaho.\n\nInformation courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey (credit:WikiMedia)
3. 1959 Yellowstone Earthquake: Magnitude 7.3 - 7.5(13 of15)
This 1959 quake, also known as the Hebgen Lake earthquake, was the largest ever recorded in Montana and led to drastic geological changes in the area.\n\nMagnitude 7.3 tremors caused a massive landslide that moved around 80 million tons of earth, which covered a campground and killed 28 campers before blocking the flow of the Madison River. The natural dam led to the creation of a lake 190 feet deep and six miles long, now called Quake Lake.\n\nInformation courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey (credit:Flickr:ahisgett)
2. 1952 Kern County Earthquake: Magnitude 7.3(14 of15)
The Kern County quake was the largest ever recorded in Southern California in the 20th century. Tremors were felt as far away as Los Angeles where six people were killed, about 100 miles south of the epicenter. There was more than $60 million in damage (in 1952 dollars) and a total of 12 people were killed.\n\nThe magnitude 7.3 quake was so powerful it shortened the distance between the entrances of two tunnels by 8 feet, bending train rails into s-shaped curves.\n\nInformation courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey (credit:Flickr:Loco Steve)
1. 1906 San Francisco Earthquake: Magnitude 7.8(15 of15)
The earthquake that hit San Francisco on April 18, 1906 was the deadliest in U.S history, causing more than 3,000 deaths and $6 billion in damage in today\'s currency. Magnitude 7.8 tremors shook the city for a full minute and were felt in Oregon and Nevada, more than 350 miles away.\n\nThe quake is considered one of the worst in California history and was caused by a nearly 300-mile-long rupture in the San Andreas fault with an epicenter close to San Francisco. Fires also started throughout the city and lasted for days.\n\nHowever, the disaster led to a groundbreaking scientific study that first correlated quake intensity with geographical location (called the Lawson Report) and led to the creation of the country’s first agency tasked with studying earthquakes.\n\nInformation courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey (credit:WikiMedia)