earthquake
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Carbon fiber strings protect buildings against earthquakes
The problem with earthquake-proofing a building is that it usually involves grafting on a lot of support -- not really an option with historic buildings or other particularly delicate structures. Komatsu Seiren Fabric Laboratory might have a better way, however. Its carbon fiber-based CABKOMA Strand Rods can protect a building against quakes by tying the roof to the ground, making sure that the whole building moves together -- and thus stays together -- during a tremor. The fibers are both very strong and very light (you can easily carry a 520-foot strand by yourself), so it's more like draping spiderwebs over a building than anchors.
Drilling makes Oklahoma as earthquake-prone as California
Drilling for oil and gas has made parts of Oklahoma and Kansas as likely to be hit by major earthquakes as California. A new United States Geological Survey (USGS) hazard map shows that the risk of a "damaging" quake within the next year is now as high in north Oklahoma -- 10-12 percent -- as anywhere else in the US. The revelation comes from the USGS changing the way it forecasts earthquakes in the country. In the past, its hazard maps only highlighted natural risks, meaning only California and small parts of Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Washington and Wyoming were mapped. Now, it factors in "induced earthquakes" triggered by human activity, with the primary cause being wastewater disposal from oil and gas production. This tainted liquid is injected into deep underground wells, which can lead to an increase in pressure that negatively affects the seismic stability of an area.
Android app turns your phone into an earthquake detector
Your smartphone can already warn you about earthquakes. UC Berkeley, however, is going one step further: it wants your phone to help detect those quakes. The school has released an Android app, MyShake, that uses your phone's motion sensors to detect the telltale signs of tremors and combine that with the data from every other user. For all intents and purposes, you become part of a crowdsourced seismic station network -- you can confirm a quake just by leaving your phone turned on. That could be a big help when there aren't enough fixed stations to trigger an alert through conventional apps.
New game from 'Gears of War' creator breaks the moon
LawBreakers is not a post-apocalyptic shooter. It is a shooter. It does star a group of Marine-like soldiers out to gun down people in the name of justice and it does take place in the future. But creator Cliff Bleszinski is adamant that this isn't a standard futuristic, kill-streak kind of game. As the mastermind behind Gears of War and Unreal Tournament, he knows all about those. Instead, LawBreakers takes place in a post-catastrophe world: Human experiments on the moon cause it to shatter, which triggers devastating earthquakes and breaks gravity in certain spots. Humanity rebuilds, bigger and better than ever, and then violent gangs begin to attack the new world. The LawBreakers are deployed to fight the gangs, using super-human supplements and special maneuvers made possible by the low-gravity zones.
LA's newer cell towers will keep working after earthquakes
Cellular networks are only trustworthy if they continue running in emergencies, and Los Angeles knows it. The city's council has voted for legislation that requires all new cell towers to be tough enough to remain functional after a major earthquake -- not just standing, like they need to do today. Officials believe that this will involve only a "marginal" hike in costs, but should make a huge difference the next time a big quake rocks LA and leaves residents scrambling for help. This hardening process won't be truly comprehensive until carriers start replacing existing towers, which could take years. However, patience could be a virtue if it keeps families and rescue teams in touch when a disaster strikes. [Image credit: Getty Images]
Facebook and Google help find Nepal earthquake survivors
The Nepal earthquake has caused an immeasurable amount of tragedy this weekend, but some internet services are offering tools that might provide comfort if you have friends or family in the area. Facebook has rolled out its recently introduced Safety Check feature to tell you if contacts in the area are okay -- survivors only have to report in to ease your mind. Google, meanwhile, has revived its longstanding Person Finder to assist you in both locating loved ones and sharing news with others. You'll want to get in direct contact or reach out an embassy if you're still concerned about affected locals, but these internet tools could spare you from a lot of uncertainty. [Image credit: Prakash Mathema/AFP/Getty Images]
Facebook 'Safety Check' lets friends know you're OK after a major disaster
Despite the frivolous nature of most social media interactions, Facebook's latest new feature is intended for use only in serious situations. Unveiled today in Japan, Safety Check notifications are pushed to users when a natural disaster hits and area you have listed as your location, where you've checked in on Nearby Friends, or where you recently logged in from. Tech companies like Google and Facebook have worked to connect people after significant disasters in the past, and Facebook says the project is an extension of the Disaster Message Board its Japanese engineers rolled out after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami there. Safety Check is rolling out globally on Android, iOS, feature phones and the desktop -- there's a demo video (embedded after the break) to explain how it all works.
See how the Napa earthquake affected Jawbone users' sleep
If you're one of the many iPhone users with a Jawbone UP strapped to your wrist, you might be used to seeing pretty standard peaks and valleys on your sleep charts. Not so for many in Northern California who were awoken by the rumblings of one of the largest earthquakes to hit the area in several decades -- and the consolidated sleep data is actually pretty cool to look at. As you can see, shortly before 3:30 AM, huge numbers of UP wearers sprung from their beds thanks to the rumblings below their feet. Napa, Sonoma, Vallejo, and Berkeley were the quickest to wake thanks to their proximity to the epicenter, while other affected regions experienced a slight delay before having their sleep interrupted. Thankfully, no deaths were reported, and it appears most people got back to their pillows before too long.
Jawbone knows how many of its users were roused by the Napa earthquake
Think you could sleep through an earthquake? Probably not, judging by data from Jawbone. The company says that almost everyone using its Jawbone Up device to track their sleep near South Napa was awakened by yesterday's earthquake. About 90 percent of its users were asleep, and the closer you were to the epicenter, the more likely it is you woke up. Farther out, about half the users in San Francisco and Oakland arose; almost nobody was disturbed 75 to 100 miles away in Modesto. Since Jawbone's fitness trackers push data to smartphones and other devices, the company was able to get a quick and detailed look into how the locals felt. The stats are interesting, to be sure, but may give you pause if didn't realize Jawbone could publish your exercise stats at a moment's notice.
Apple contributes $1.6 million to Chinese earthquake relief
Apple and China have had a somewhat shaky relationship as of late -- with state-run news decrying the iPhone as a threat and rumors of government bans on Apple products (though there seems to be some conflicting reports on this point) -- but in the wake of China's 6.5 magnitude quake that hit the country over the weekend, the company is doing its best to help out. As reported by CRIENGLISH, Apple is donating 10 million yuan, or roughly US$1.6 million, to the relief efforts. The earthquake was centered in China's Yunnan Province, and caused more than 600 deaths and over 3,100 injuries, making it the worst quake to hit the area in the past century. Thousands of additional individuals have been evacuated from their homes to prevent further injury from the secondary effects of the quake, such as landslides and flooding. Apple's charitable attitude is nothing new for the company, which has a history of donating to disaster relief and various other causes.
Stanford turns to Twitter to track earthquakes
It's easy to tell when an earthquake hits an area full of Twitter users -- there's frequently a rush of panicked tweets within seconds of the ground shaking. If Twitter and Stanford University have their way, though, those posts could be useful for more than just alerting friends. They've conducted research showing that geotagged tweets can help model the effects of a quake while it's happening. When you combine geological data with the volume of related tweets within a given radius, it's easier to determine the intensity of tremors and accurately track how they spread.
Scientists testing an 'acoustic shield' to protect cities from earthquakes
What if you could put a shield around your city to prevent it from being demolished in an earthquake? A group of French scientists think they've created a way to do just that, thanks to refraction (essentially changing the direction of the vibration). In an experiment, the group was able to create the shield using several five-meter-deep boreholes in the ground. When a quake hits, the holes redirect vibrations to a less-populated nearby area so they'll do less damage. The catch is, all that force has to head somewhere. And we're guessing there won't be many towns signing up to have a big city's quake headed their way instead. Image Source: UN Photo/Logan Abassi
Choose My Adventure: Saying goodbye to Age of Wushu
During a Q and A with Grant Bowler, SyFy's leading man in its new series Defiance, the actor tried to explain some of his love for MMORPGs and gaming in general. He talked about EVE Online and how he once stayed up for 36 hours due to an in-game war. He bragged about how players often lose everything they have in the game and smiled as he explained its "learning curve." He even likened playing the game to being married to Woody Allen, a strange yet somehow accurate description. Am I comparing my time with Age of Wushu to being married to en elderly comic genius? No, but I am very familiar with the lawkeeper's description of his favorite game. It's the same description that Age of Wushu players use when we talk about the game, although I disagree with how wonderful the "learning curve" is. Still, I had a blast over these last few weeks.
Choose My Adventure: I believe I can die in Age of Wushu
Wow. What a game, Age of Wushu. I mean, I have played many, many open-world, free-for-all PvP sandboxes in my time before this one, but Age of Wushu places all of those cool systems in a world that the West generally doesn't play in and then adds in little systems so that there is always something to do. Always. In fact the most common complaint I hear about the MMO is that there is too much to do but not enough explanation to cover all of the activities. I think the real frustration comes not from the lack of guides and pop-ups but from the fact that many of these "helpful" guides are localized for English-speaking audiences enough for them to make some sense, just not enough. I mean no offense here; this is just the truth: Broken English inside a game can make already complex gameplay much harder to understand. There are many small anomalies as well. For example, an NPC referred to me as a man although my character is a woman, and when a small icon indicated that I was hungry, I ate some food, but then an icon told me, "Hungry and Thirsty. HP and internal Energy Recovery speed increases slightly, but you will need some food." Huh? I just ate... I think? Now I can see why Patrick's Age of Wushu guides are so popular!
The Art of Wushu: Talking Mount Hua with Age of Wushu's Peter Kang
A day or two after writing about the Mount Hua expansion last time, I had the chance to sit down with community manager Peter Kang -- better known to the Age of Wushu playerbase as Earthquake -- and talk about the various changes in the expansion. We had a fairly long talk. Like true wuxia fanboys, we derailed quite a bit to talk about Legend of Condor Heroes, but we discussed where Wushu is, where Snail would like it to go, and the relationship between Snail USA and the dev team in China. It was pretty enlightening because he clearly plays the game and is acutely aware of the impact the company's decisions has on players.
Apple updates Chinese homepage with earthquake donations and support offers
Apple has updated its Chinese homepage in recognition of the earthquake that struck parts of the country over the weekend. A translation by Engadget reads: Our deepest condolences to those who were taken away by the Sichuan Yaan earthquake, and respect to all the rescuers. May those who have passed away rest in peace, and may the survivors stay strong. Apple has also released a statement pledging cash donations and donations of new Apple devices to help schools that have been hit by the quake: In this difficult time our hearts are with the Sichuan earthquake victims. In addition to cash donations to help the victims ride out the storm, we will also commit to donating brand new Apple equipment to some of the schools in the affected region, and the local Apple staff will be on standby to provide support. Apple has reportedly offered US$8 million in aid in total.
Google Street View lets former Fukushima residents see the town they left
It's been more than two years since the tragic Eastern Japan tsunami and resulting Fukushima Prefecture nuclear plant crisis, but many of those who lived in affected areas still can't return: witness the 21,000 residents of Namie, who had to evacuate and haven't been back since. Thanks to a newly published Google Street View run, those former residents can once more see the town they had to leave. The 360-degree imagery shows Namie in the deserted state it faces today, with little recovery work done or possible. Google's photos can't accelerate the recovery process, but Mayor Tamotsu Baba views them as an incentive to eventually return -- and a better way for the rest of the world to understand the tsunami's long-term effects.
Toshiba tests robotic quadruped for nuclear plant inspection, hopes to help clean up Fukushima
The cleanup efforts at Fukushima's nuclear facility are been peppered with robotics: packbots, a refitted TALON, even a UAV - but Toshiba figures it could use at least one more. The firm's contribution is known only as the Quadruped walking robot, and it looks somewhat like Boston Dynamics' AlphaDog. Shuffling along on four double-jointed legs, the Quadruped can traverse uneven terrain and stairs at 0.6 mph, and is capable of exploring uninhabitable and irradiated areas for two hours before requiring a recharge. A second robot rides on the Quadruped's back, and can explore tight spaces for up to an hour when tethered to the its mentor. Toshiba is outfitting the duo with cameras and radiation dosimeters, and hopes to use them to help officials survey the damage in the plant's deadlier corners. Check out the machine's official press demonstration in the video after the break.
NASA READIs early detection GPS network, aids first responders with earthquake warnings
After tacking space shuttle Discovery onto the back of a 747, the brainy gang over at NASA's READI for a new challenge -- earthquake detection. The agency's GPS-monitoring system, known as the Real-time Earthquake Analysis for Disaster Mitigation Network, is being tested with the goal of more accurately detecting the scale of quakes and, consequently, getting tsunami warnings out as soon as possible. The setup, made possible by a partnership between the Department of Defense, the National Science Foundation, and the United States Geological Survey, works by measuring ground displacement in real-time to provide a faster, more detailed assessment of imminent damage, thereby giving first responders a head start on determining aid. So the next time you look up to the night sky and wish upon a tracking star, keep in mind that sometimes privacy-skewing, positioning tech could just save your life.
Bunnie Huang builds open-source geiger counter to help Japanese civilians
Chumby co-creator Andrew "Bunnie" Huang was so moved by the Japanese Earthquake and Fukushima meltdown that he felt compelled to help out. Teaming up with nonprofit organization Safecast, he started work on a radiation monitor that was suitable for everyday civilian use, rather than it remain the sole province of officials. As well as its readings being able to stand up to scientific scrutiny, Huang's counter had to remain functional after a natural disaster, last for ages and be small enough for people to carry around. When he had finished building the reference design, he open-sourced the design so companies like Medcom and individuals could build their own. If you'd like to dabble in the arts of radiation monitoring, head on down to the source link for a fascinating insight into how it's done.
