Did you know that life on earth would be impossible without earthquakes? As a Southern CA native, I take comfort in this fact. I live right on the San Andreas fault.
The more that scientists learn about plate tectonics, the more they are discovering the vital role earthquakes play in regulating the temperature of the planet. Dr. Jeff Zweerink talks about this in the Today's New Reason To Believe from August 15, 2007:
Some Like It Hot—Especially the Continents
At least two non-theistic scientists have suggested that any planet capable of sustaining complex life must also have plate tectonics. This has been a major obstacle (not reported in the news media) in the search for life on other planets.
Rare Earth: Why Complex Life is Uncommon in the Universe