Editing 1960 in science (section)

==Earth sciences==
* May 22 – [[1960 Valdivia earthquake|Valdivia earthquake]]: [[Chile]]'s subduction fault ruptures from [[Talcahuano]] to the [[Taitao Peninsula]] (with its [[epicenter]] near [[Lumaco]]), causing the [[Lists of earthquakes#Strongest earthquakes by magnitude|most powerful]] [[earthquake]] on record (with a [[Moment magnitude scale|magnitude]] of 9.5) and a [[tsunami]].
* [[Harry Hammond Hess]] proposes the concept of [[seafloor spreading]].<ref>{{citation|last=Hess|first=H. H.|year=1960|title=Evolution of Ocean Basins|series=Report to [[Office of Naval Research]]. Contract No. 1858(10), NR 081-06}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|first=H. H.|last=Hess|chapter-url=http://www.mantleplumes.org/WebDocuments/Hess1962.pdf|chapter=History of Ocean Basins|date=1962-11-01|title=Petrologic Studies: a volume in honor of A. F. Buddington|editor=Engel, A. E. J. |editor2=James, Harold L. |editor3=Leonard, B. F. |place=Boulder, CO|publisher=Geological Society of America|pages=599–620}}</ref>