New research suggests that a critical junction 50 miles from downtown Los Angeles, where the San Andreas and San Jacinto fault systems meet, has accumulated stress levels matching 1,000-year highs.

How this affects you

The increased stress and the potential for the Cajon Pass to act as an "earthquake gate" could lead to a catastrophic earthquake in one of the most densely populated areas in the U.S., potentially spreading across multiple fault systems and creating a larger, more complex event.