It was only until recently (1960) that scientists discovered plate tectonics, and linked it to the various natural phenemona that occur around boundary zones. This discovery marked a great advancement for scientists studying earthquakes and volcanoes, as they now better understood the underlying cause of these catastrophic events.
Harry Hess is considered on of the founding fathers of plate tectonics especially in the study of sea floor spreading.
If we look at the impact of the natural disasters that arise from platectonics on earth we can see the importance for learning more about the subject. The more we know about plate tectonics the better we can predict when these natural disasters will occur. As we gain more and more knowledge and are able to better predict when these natural disaster will occur we can save lives.