These bizarre lights in the sky hint at a way to predict earthquakes

THE edifice of Acapulco successful Mexico has agelong been known for its attractions: gorgeous mountains, upmarket hotels, crystal wide waters. But connected 7 September 2021, thing happened that was connected nobody’s privation database – a magnitude-7.0 earthquake rocked the city’s sandy beaches and seafront high-rises.

Along with trembling buildings and shaking trees, those caught successful the quake besides witnessed thing substantially much eerie. A barrage of bluish lights, similar flashes of cerulean lightning, lit up the nighttime sky, seemingly close supra the responsibility line. This unusual show was an illustration of what are known arsenic “earthquake lights”, a semi-mythical improvement that has cropped up successful reports of tremors for centuries.

The thought that these bluish flashes are caused by an earthquake is often dismissed by scientists. Indeed, aft Acapulco, immoderate suggested the flickering lights whitethorn person travel from damaged powerfulness lines. But a tiny radical of researchers present assertion to person grounds for an alternate hypothesis. It says that erstwhile tectonic faults rupture, electrical currents are created. And whether these currents nutrient lights oregon not, determination should beryllium telltale electromagnetic signals produced by them that would beryllium detectable successful advance.

If they are right, we could perchance usage these signals arsenic a informing of disaster. It is simply a agelong shot: the hunt for ways to foretell earthquakes has frustrated america for decades. But caller grounds linked to these uncanny, dancing lights successful the entity is shaking up the field.

Predicting large tremors is presently just astir impossible. Scientists, including those astatine the …