For many of us seismic images might look like a complicated series of wiggly lines, but to researchers like Sian Evans from Imperial College London they are a fascinating window into the deep geological structures that shape our planet. For this episode we find out how seismic data is collected and how it can help us understand the disruptive effect of salt on geology, the plumbing systems of volcanoes and the potential earthquake hazards posed by deep geological faults. Sian recounts her experiences: from pulling late night shifts aboard the RSS James Cook research vessel in the Caribbean, to the toil and bizarre encounters whilst installing seismometers in New Zealand.