Washington Monument a Bit Shorter After Quake

The earthquake that rattled DC last summer may have caused the Washington Monument to shrink by a smidge. Surveyors say the land around the monument is down 2 millimeters since August, or about 1 millimeter more than it should be, reports the Washington Post. And while that's just a fraction of an inch, it's still enough to worry experts, especially because the National Mall is built on what amounts to "swampland," notes CNN.

“That’s way more than we can live with,” says the chief federal surveyor. “Almost one millimeter could be accounted for just in normal settlement. Something beyond that might be a result of the earthquake." The monument took a serious jolt in the quake and has been closed since for repairs. It probably won't open again until next year. (More Washington Monument stories.)