AI Earthquake Prediction Might Soon Forecast Tremors and Save Lives
A massive, 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Mexico City in September, killing 370 people and injuring more than 6,000. Few experts in the field of seismology were surprised another quake had struck Mexico, one of the world’s most seismically active countries with an estimated average of 40 earthquakes, mostly minor ones, every single day. Yet despite the certainty that earthquakes will occur, scientists have so far failed to gain insight about precisely when they will happen. The ability to predict future earthquakes — both the timing and strength — is a defining challenge for the field of seismology. Providing enough advance warning for, say, the residents of Mexico City, San Francisco, or other major cities along faultlines to evacuate could save thousands of lives. Yet it’s a task so daunting that some scientists believe it cannot be done. Now, a team of scientists working at the Los Alamos National Laboratory and the University of Cambridge says they might — just might...
