Key facts
- Researchers identified "seismo-ripples," ringlike disturbance patterns that appear before earthquakes.
- The phenomenon has shown an 83% success rate in predicting major earthquakes since 2022.
- The findings challenge the scientific consensus that earthquakes are unpredictable.
A China-led international research team has identified a new pre-earthquake phenomenon, termed "seismo-ripples," which they report has demonstrated a strong predictive potential for major earthquakes since 2022 with minimal failures. These observed signals include anomalous seismic, magnetic, and ionospheric resonance patterns that manifest as ringlike disturbances preceding seismic events. The researchers suggest that these findings challenge the long-standing scientific belief in the inherent unpredictability of earthquakes, potentially paving the way for new early warning systems.