You've successfully subscribed to Warp News
Great! Next, complete checkout for full access to Warp News
Welcome back! You've successfully signed in.
Thank you! Check your email inbox to activate your account.
Success! Your billing info is updated.
Billing info update failed.
📱 Millions of mobile phones warning of earthquakes

📱 Millions of mobile phones warning of earthquakes

Android phones can act as small seismographs, detect earthquakes and send quick alerts to anyone who may be affected.

Kent Olofsson
Kent Olofsson

Google has built a new algorithm that can use standard Android phones to detect and warn of earthquakes. In this way, Google creates a network of millions of "mini-seismographs" around the world .

The service, which the user must turn on, uses the mobile's built-in accelerometer to detect shaking. The algorithm then analyzes data from all mobiles using the service to see if there is an earthquake.

If there is an earthquake, an alert is automatically sent to everyone in the area. As a few seconds' warning can be the difference between life and death in the event of an earthquake, the new service will hopefully be able to save many lives in the future.

📈 Human Progress

📝 Get a weekly dose of fact-based optimism

Join over 15,000 optimistic, forward-looking subscribers who are making a better and more prosperous future come sooner.

You might also like

Matt Ridley

💉 Matt Ridley: The unexpected history and miraculous success of vaccines

At a time when the miraculous success of vaccines has transformed the battle against the pandemic it is fitting to recall the general idea, and unexpected history, behind vaccination, writes Matt Ridley, bestselling author of The Rational Optimist and How Innovation Works.

Ingemar Alvbom

🕊 This is how wind and solar energy make the world more peaceful

Our move to renewable energy will make the world more peaceful. As countries become self-sufficient in energy, many incentives for conflict will diminish.

Magnus Aschan

🛢 Drastic reduction in oil spills

Amoco Cadiz, Exxon Valdez, and Deepwater Horizon. Many people remember the great oil disasters, but fewer know that both the number and amount of oil spills have decreased sharply in the world.