When it comes to identifying the cause of earthquakes, you may think you're on solid ground (excuse the pun) by first setting your sights below the ground. According to new research, however, you probably should be looking up to the sky.
Scientists at MIT have published findings in the journal Science Advances which suggest that increased heavy snowfall and rain linked to climate change could contribute to earthquakes around the world. It follows their investigation into seismic activity in Japan's Noto Peninsula, which has been hit by hundreds of earthquakes in recent years, including a magnitude 7.6 earthquake in January 2024.
A new 'swarm' of earthquakes a pattern of multiple and ongoing quakes is thought to have begun in northern Japan in 2020. Along with their colleagues in Japan, the MIT team tried to identify the causes contributing to this swarm. What they found was that, while those before 2020 appeared sporadic and unrelated, the timing of subsequent quakes was strongly linked to weather conditions, es...
Scientists at MIT have published findings in the journal Science Advances which suggest that increased heavy snowfall and rain linked to climate change could contribute to earthquakes around the world. It follows their investigation into seismic activity in Japan's Noto Peninsula, which has been hit by hundreds of earthquakes in recent years, including a magnitude 7.6 earthquake in January 2024.
A new 'swarm' of earthquakes a pattern of multiple and ongoing quakes is thought to have begun in northern Japan in 2020. Along with their colleagues in Japan, the MIT team tried to identify the causes contributing to this swarm. What they found was that, while those before 2020 appeared sporadic and unrelated, the timing of subsequent quakes was strongly linked to weather conditions, es...
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BBC Science Focus (Digital) - 1 Issue, June 2024