Smart-quakes
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December 5, 2012 |
I love my smartphone, it can do all sorts of exciting things. But I didn’t think it could predict earthquakes.
A group of US scientists think it can. Many phones have accelerometers in them that tell them which way up they are and if they’re moving. If we could gather that information from thousands of phones in an area, we would be able to spot abnormal movements caused by earthquakes.
This kind of data could give a few extra seconds of warning – enough to save lives.
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A few extra seconds of warning could alert planes to stay airborne, trains to slow down and people to take cover.
Image: Flickr/Csaila
Piracetam
While West Coast earthquake veterans scoffed at what they viewed as only a moderate temblor, the August 2011 quake changed the way officials along the East Coast viewed emergency preparedness. Emergency response plans that once focused on hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding and snow are being revised to include quakes.