Chapter 0 of The Nature of Code, Randomness, builds a random walker and shows that its behavior is set by the probability distribution its steps are drawn from. Here the step length is drawn from real earthquake magnitudes rather than a chosen distribution.

USGS weekly magnitudes already have that heavy tail, so I use them as the walker’s step lengths instead of sampling a synthetic Levy distribution.

Earthquake magnitudes follow the Gutenberg-Richter law: the number of events falls exponentially with magnitude, and radiated energy grows exponentially. The walker’s step length is \(\ell = 3\cdot 10^{\,M-2.5}\) (clamped for the canvas), so most steps are short and rare large quakes produce long jumps. That heavy-tailed step distribution is a Levy flight in length, the non-Gaussian case Chapter 0 contrasts with uniform and normal walks.

The Gutenberg-Richter law is \(\log_{10} N = a - bM\), where \(N\) is the number of events of magnitude at least \(M\) and \(b \approx 1\); radiated seismic energy scales as \(E \propto 10^{1.5M}\). Each move advances along a persistent heading that wanders by a small Gaussian nudge, \(\mathbf{x}_{t+1} = \mathbf{x}_t + \ell\,(\cos\theta_t, \sin\theta_t)\) with \(\theta_{t+1} = \theta_t + \varepsilon_t\), \(\varepsilon_t \sim \mathcal{N}(0,\sigma^2)\). The Levy character is in the step lengths, not in independent uniform headings each frame.

Data source: USGS Earthquake Hazards Program
Endpoint: https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/feed/v1.0/summary/2.5_week.geojson
Access: Public, no key. Loaded from an hourly server-side refresh when possible, with a bundled snapshot fallback, and a live browser fetch only when the API allows CORS. Data window: Sep 30, 2026 - Oct 7, 2026 (pulled Oct 7, 2026 UTC)

Latest data pull 313 rows
Sep 30, 2026 - Oct 7, 2026 (pulled Oct 7, 2026 UTC)
Hours ago
Longitude
Latitude
Magnitude
0.11
-149.93
60.75
3.3
0.57
-103.14
31.17
3.6
0.74
-115.29
38.95
2.5
1.15
125.78
5.38
4.7
1.76
-77.76
-1.71
4.3
2.09
-68.68
-21.11
4.7
2.87
72.24
-6.66
5.2
3.72
-65.42
19.05
3.4
5.27
26.85
-27
3.6
6.03
-156.87
67.21
2.7
6.33
-115.28
38.9
2.7
6.56
145.83
-38.31
3.5
6.9
124.67
1.58
4.7
7.52
179.83
-24.26
4.5
8.98
-155.38
19.21
2.6
9.58
-66.94
17.97
2.5
10.14
-93.19
14.62
4.9
11.8
-155.9
54.63
3.1
13.2
-154.86
19.39
2.8
13.2
-30.03
-55.67
4.9
15.03
169
-20.98
4.8
15.14
-155.75
19.87
2.5
15.43
-150.61
60.54
2.5
16.21
153.37
48.19
4.6
16.33
142.94
40.4
4.2
16.36
-75.74
3.87
4.4
17.36
159.47
52.97
4.8
17.45
-67.2
18.25
2.7
17.48
141.28
36.95
4.5
18.02
26.65
35.32
4.2
18.13
26.66
35.36
3.9
19.31
-156.01
55.76
2.5
19.36
-155.4
19.95
3.1
19.65
-177.62
-29.87
4.7
19.87
-155.4
19.95
2.5
19.89
-155.41
19.95
2.8
19.91
139.57
-3.94
4.9
20.7
-155.38
19.96
2.6
21.25
-150.37
56.18
3
21.28
-156.83
54.71
3.5
21.31
-170.35
51.83
3.4
21.58
-115.28
38.9
3.3
21.6
116.22
-8.49
4.6
21.87
122.69
3.46
4.3
22.72
-133.66
65.01
4.2
22.83
101.89
-3.68
4.5
22.97
-168.26
52.96
2.5
23.28
-153.61
58.8
5.5
23.57
-177.95
51.06
2.5
23.6
88.22
42.2
4.9
24.08
147.74
44.01
4.8
24.13
-115.27
38.91
2.8
24.32
155.1
48.31
4.2
24.37
-157.48
56.07
2.5
24.97
79.56
30.09
5.1
25.05
154.93
48.44
5.8
25.9
-63.69
-22.2
4.1
26.16
-66.04
18.41
3.1
26.29
-115.34
38.99
3.5
26.66
72.3
-6.69
4.7
27.49
-172.83
50.52
3.9
28.42
178.77
-30.86
4.5
28.67
118.83
4.89
5
29.19
118.91
-9.75
4.4
29.43
-97.56
29.23
2.7
32.23
-118.41
35.68
3.1
33.1
152.75
-4.48
4.9
33.19
-116.86
34.29
2.6
34.96
-67.42
-20.01
4.5
35.58
-68.6
-21.16
4.7
35.78
-147.67
63.86
3.1
37.19
144.41
6.78
4.9
37.36
-156.83
18.73
3.3
37.38
142.85
29.02
4.6
37.84
-149.9
61.55
3.4
37.89
-145.2
69.62
2.5
38.15
120.39
-7.83
4.8
40.05
142.36
41.94
4.3
41.17
-69.23
-19.8
4.4
42.97
92.84
26.35
4.6
43.05
154.27
-5.79
4.8
43.76
-117.93
33.27
2.5
44.22
71.34
36.72
4.3
44.23
118.97
-9.67
4.5
45.02
-140.77
64.73
3.2
45.47
-117.94
33.27
2.8
45.48
179.81
-24.42
5
45.49
-117.93
33.27
3.5
46.06
40.01
8.96
4.6
47.39
150.32
-5.52
4.4
47.76
-155.81
57.64
2.7
48.35
-130.39
51.36
3.9
48.39
-17.31
64.51
4.7
48.46
-98.98
28.85
2.6
48.94
-155.85
57.65
3.4
49.68
-151.82
61.35
2.9
49.92
-124.05
40.57
2.8
50.18
-119.78
34.39
2.7
50.73
70.7
36.45
4.3
52.35
123.27
25.1
4.7
52.76
120.71
-8.2
4.4
53.33
-155.3
19.35
3.6
53.4
-102.17
32.17
2.7
53.57
118.82
-9.7
4.4
53.69
-152.94
60.13
2.6
54.07
167.15
-15.72
4.6
54.75
-152.49
60.24
3
54.99
147.4
15.8
5
55.23
-158.48
55.41
2.7
57.44
-68.92
-24.42
4.2
57.86
-67.32
18.81
2.9
58.63
144.04
22.85
4.9
59.62
126.94
4.5
4.8
59.83
-66.94
18.63
2.5
60.16
-116.7
41.17
2.5
60.41
-174.27
-21.42
5
61.59
151.87
45.95
4.5
62.73
-66.04
18.77
3
62.76
-64.44
18.82
2.9
63.28
-113.11
47.14
3.3
63.58
112.92
-9.2
4.2
63.93
-119.04
39.16
2.8
64.52
-86.49
12.1
4.4
64.55
-19.96
-0.43
5.3
66.25
-89.75
12.88
4.3
66.77
133.53
-4.6
4.4
67
36.07
37.78
4.2
67.64
-128.95
44.63
4.2
68.02
-121.09
36.55
2.5
69.4
71.02
36.61
4.8
69.59
151.36
45.82
4.4
70.92
-129.15
44.25
3.2
72.39
36.15
37.78
4.2
72.53
104.71
28.58
4.4
72.61
-155.6
19.43
2.5
73.07
-117.82
38.17
2.6
73.35
-137.24
58.51
3
73.85
36.14
37.77
4.3
74.8
-158.76
55.42
2.5
74.86
118.86
-9.88
4.2
75.69
-104.63
32.54
2.9
75.76
-82.72
5.37
5
76.22
-155.08
57.03
3.4
76.45
-151.69
60.3
2.6
77.09
-150.67
60.38
3.4
77.25
112.64
-9.2
4.6
77.56
-117.23
31.88
2.7
77.73
-67.54
-21.43
4.2
78.14
36.13
37.73
5
78.25
36.17
37.78
4.7
78.54
36.17
37.8
4.7
78.65
144.65
22.82
5.1
78.7
151.43
-5.04
4.6
78.99
120.53
-8.22
4.8
79.64
120.45
-8.27
5
80.63
-157.34
67.4
2.9
80.87
-68.43
18.56
4
80.9
-80.33
-3.07
4.3
81.52
-64.92
18.96
3
81.67
-64.52
19.09
3.4
83.94
93.75
21.34
4.6
85.34
-151.26
62.05
2.6
86.61
-66.95
17.96
2.5
86.68
-64.46
18.82
3.3
86.72
-64.49
18.84
3.3
87.89
-149.23
62.03
3.5
88.06
-23.35
-58.16
4.9
88.21
147.14
-6.59
4.9
89.05
24.81
35.25
4.3
90.23
95.16
4.82
5.3
90.61
157.77
51.33
4.3
90.62
122.93
3.59
4.5
90.93
118.91
-9.57
5.9
91.06
-157.05
54.71
3.1
91.4
142.81
29.05
4.3
92.44
-173.61
51.72
3.5
92.59
-75.17
-38.3
4.1
92.62
-155.26
65.78
2.7
92.75
-158.02
55.98
2.5
93.08
-104.28
31.66
2.5
93.3
-93.35
14.11
4.5
93.85
159.83
51.55
5.1
94.34
159.99
51.4
4.4
95.65
93.4
20.61
4.9
96.46
147.17
-6.05
4.6
96.52
-154.67
57.88
2.8
97.75
-175.29
51.7
4.1
97.8
-64.17
18.34
3.3
98.43
-110.74
36.9
2.7
98.8
-68.98
19.35
3.7
99.03
130.17
-6.46
4.4
99.89
-115.34
38.94
3.3
100.01
-179.48
-27.49
4.5
100.3
-67.39
18.46
2.9
102.76
148.34
-5.63
4.4
103.27
-67.4
18.45
3.9
103.78
-156.29
56.3
3.2
103.81
160.68
51.91
4.2
104.24
-87.2
11.54
4.4
104.55
-65.19
19.02
3
106.65
-149.22
56.04
3
106.88
-120.08
38.89
2.9
107.77
130.61
29.22
4.8
108.21
-66.33
18.36
3.4
108.37
-156.41
56.76
2.5
109.63
76.92
19.31
4.2
110.88
160.42
52.08
5
112.81
-176.69
51.57
4.1
113.51
158.15
53.15
4.4
113.67
130.61
31.3
4.5
113.83
159.27
51.97
4.8
113.87
159.72
51.58
4.6
113.96
159.47
51.72
4.7
115.21
-116.92
-49.39
4.6
116.63
159.37
51.97
4.6
116.78
157.59
52.73
4.4
116.96
159.67
51.63
5
117.22
158.22
52.47
4.7
117.23
158.05
52.56
4.6
117.28
142.82
40.03
4.5
117.4
159.61
51.53
5
117.43
152.84
-4.57
4.6
117.44
159.57
51.78
4.9
118.14
-179.98
-30.5
4.4
119.44
159.83
51.58
5
119.93
-155.28
19.42
3.5
120.39
-71.71
-32.77
4.3
120.44
-98.94
28.84
2.6
120.92
145.78
-38.35
3.2
120.93
94.55
23.15
4.5
121.28
159.74
51.69
5.8
121.34
-62.42
10.37
5
121.82
158.92
53.02
4.6
121.83
145.84
-38.38
4.7
122.42
21.85
38.15
4.5
122.69
119.46
14.57
4.8
123.34
-150.55
63.28
2.5
123.91
174.26
-39.16
5
124.38
-67.92
18.95
3.3
125.73
-67.84
18.9
3
125.76
-67.95
19
3.1
126.27
-90.98
14.42
4.2
126.62
155.01
-6.64
5
127.86
-120.08
38.89
3.3
127.98
-156.5
56.4
2.6
128.14
-104.21
31.64
2.7
128.63
-115.29
38.91
3
130.97
-104.38
18.76
4.8
131.06
121.1
-7.95
4.5
131.81
-175.99
51.33
4
132.21
126.49
2.58
4.8
133.11
158.02
-8.93
5.1
133.41
178.64
-24.78
5
133.68
155.61
-7.19
4.9
135.82
165.79
-11.17
4.7
140.83
139.75
36.09
4.5
141.85
167.09
-11.67
5.1
142.23
166.96
-11.77
5.1
142.38
-152.56
59.98
2.6
142.95
-177.69
-21.25
4.3
143.07
-104.55
31.7
3.1
144
-121.22
36.6
2.5
144.24
120.9
-7.99
4.6
144.57
143.17
39.88
5.1
144.7
138.92
-1.93
4.3
145.82
71.55
36.47
4.2
146.64
-150.99
58.98
3
147.09
-163.72
53.72
4.8
147.53
120.91
-7.08
5
148.25
-155.5
19.18
2.5
148.34
138.92
-2.09
4.4
148.81
23.3
38.31
4.2
148.85
149.03
44.66
4.3
149.36
-156.44
58.22
2.9
149.41
140.55
35.7
5.3
149.42
-109.87
41.56
2.8
149.62
-150.57
63.24
2.9
151
46.73
41.67
4.5
151.55
-152
61.84
3.2
151.81
-41.43
31.04
4.7
151.93
-155.27
19.42
2.6
152.47
-149.37
62.73
2.6
153.09
-66.65
18.61
2.8
153.1
-172.7
-19.14
4.9
153.56
73.14
41.45
4.5
153.61
-92.7
14.74
4.1
153.99
-155.28
19.42
3.4
154.19
-41.59
31.24
4.6
154.32
-155.28
19.41
2.6
155.07
-155.28
19.41
2.6
156.29
123.86
6.11
5
156.43
-64.35
19.12
3.5
157.17
-177.31
-22.87
4.2
158.37
-152.2
59.51
3.4
158.48
-152.44
59.94
3
159.17
-66.91
17.95
2.5
159.18
-179.25
-20.9
4.4
159.7
130.35
-6.15
4.5
160.34
123.18
-0.86
4.6
160.37
68.78
36.1
5.2
161.39
-43.04
19.28
4.9
161.83
-116.46
33.5
3.1
163.94
-86.51
9.75
5.6
164.58
140.88
35.63
4.4
164.66
128.51
25.22
4.6
164.74
-122.93
38.78
3
164.8
-66.95
17.94
2.6
164.85
-66.61
18.48
3.1
165.06
-122.7
38.77
2.6
166.23
-98.93
28.85
2.6
166.69
179.21
51.88
4.2
167.25
160.29
52.37
4.9
167.5
160.33
52.32
5

All 313 earthquakes are listed below.