Close Menu
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    SciTechDaily
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Earth
    • Health
    • Physics
    • Science
    • Space
    • Technology
    Facebook X (Twitter) Pinterest YouTube RSS
    SciTechDaily
    Home»Biology»It’s Official, Toads Can Predict Earthquakes
    Biology

    It’s Official, Toads Can Predict Earthquakes

    By SciTechDailyDecember 5, 2011No Comments2 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest Telegram LinkedIn Tumblr WhatsApp Email
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Telegram Email
    Toad
    Toads can reportedly sense earthquakes.

    Italian toads can apparently sense earthquakes like the earthquake that struck L’Aquila on April 6th, 2009. We know this because Dr. Rachel Grant of the UK’s Open University was studying a toad population at San Ruffino Lake, around 74 km (46 mi) from the quake’s epicenter at the time. What she found was interesting. Five days before the quake, the number of common males in the breeding colony dropped by 96 percent. If that wasn’t enough, most breeding pairs and males fled three days before the event. Something was alerting the toads to the impending quake.

    So the evidence was circumstantial, but strong. Grant’s findings suggested that toads may be able to sense quakes by their pre-seismic cues, like the release of gases and charged particles, telling them that they need to find higher ground. This led to a further investigation, this time with the help of NASA, and charged particles do in fact appear to be the culprit.

    We know that rocks under extreme tectonic stress release charged particles, which also travel through nearby rock and even into the atmosphere. This ionizes the air with tons of positive ions, which we know can affect animals. Humans can experience headaches and nausea for instance, or an increase in serotonin. It is likely that they affect toads in a similar way. They also believe that the ions might have reacted with the toads’ water, creating a possibly toxic hydrogen peroxide environment, making them seek a new area.

    It will require further study, but they seem to be on the right track with ions.

    Earthquakes NASA Toad
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

    Related Posts

    An Ancient Partnership: Unlocking the Microbial Blueprint of Earth’s Evolution

    7.5 Magnitude Earthquake Lifts Parts of Japan Up to 13 Feet

    Between Volcanic Eruptions and Destructive Earthquakes: San Salvador’s Fiery Saga

    Devastation in Morocco: NASA Damage Proxy Map Reveals Aftermath of Magnitude 6.8 Earthquake

    Tectonic Trouble: NASA Measures Sinking Land in American Samoa

    Superflare Sparks of Life: How a Stormy Young Sun May Have Kickstarted Life on Earth

    A World in a Test Tube: Removing Traces of Life in Lab Helps NASA Scientists Study Its Origins

    More Than 100 Landslides Strike Turkey Following Devastating Earthquakes

    NASA “Heliotrope” Balloon Detects California Earthquake – Next Stop, Venus?

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube

    Don't Miss a Discovery

    Subscribe for the Latest in Science & Tech!

    Trending News

    Could Perseverance’s Mars Samples Hold the Secret to Ancient Life?

    Giant Fossil Discovery in Namibia Challenges Long-Held Evolutionary Theories

    Is There Anybody Out There? The Hunt for Life in Cosmic Oceans

    Paleontological Surprise: New Research Indicates That T. rex Was Much Larger Than Previously Thought

    Photosynthesis-Free: Scientists Discover Remarkable Plant That Steals Nutrients To Survive

    A Waste of Money: New Study Reveals That CBD Is Ineffective for Pain Relief

    Two Mile Long X-Ray Laser Opens New Windows Into a Mysterious State of Matter

    650 Feet High: The Megatsunami That Rocked Greenland’s East Coast

    Follow SciTechDaily
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    • Pinterest
    • Newsletter
    • RSS
    SciTech News
    • Biology News
    • Chemistry News
    • Earth News
    • Health News
    • Physics News
    • Science News
    • Space News
    • Technology News
    Recent Posts
    • Banana Apocalypse: Can Biologists Outsmart the Silent Killer?
    • Scientists Uncover Hidden Mechanism Behind Opioid Addiction – Discovery Could Revolutionize Addiction Treatment
    • How Sonic Technology Is Advancing Wind Detection on Mars
    • Harnessing Blue Energy: The Sustainable Power Source of Tomorrow
    • Mystery Solved: Scientists Discover Unique Evolutionary Branch of Snakes
    Copyright © 1998 - 2024 SciTechDaily. All Rights Reserved.
    • Latest News
    • Trending News
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.