Focused on the prevention of natural disasters, a group of scientists began to explore a surprising alternative. The animal behavior as an early warning system.
This innovative project is called ICARUS (International Cooperation for Animal Research Using Space). It aims to harness the “seventh sense” that animals have to anticipate natural catastrophes.
What is ICARUS: the early warning system based on animal behavior
Animals can prevent natural disasters.
Historically, various cultures have recognized the ability of animals to perceive subtle environmental changes before natural disasters occur. There are numerous accounts related to:
- Restless birds before volcanic eruptions.
- Snakes awakening from hibernation prior to earthquakes.
- Common toads leaving their colonies during the breeding season when a significant earthquake is imminent.
Scientific studies supporting the theory
The team led by Martin Wikelski from the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior in Constance conducted various studies on the subject.
The topics covered included:
- Monitoring livestock in seismic areas: sensors were placed on cows, sheep, and dogs in northern Italy. The data revealed unusual restlessness in the hours before earthquakes, which was more pronounced the closer the animals were to the epicenter.
- Goats on Mount Etna: the behavior of goats around the volcano was monitored for two years. In one notable case, unusual activity in the goats was recorded six hours before a significant eruption on January 4, 2012. They could “retrospectively predict” seven major eruptions based on this data.
- Common toads in L’Aquila: the analysis of these amphibians near the Italian city of L’Aquila, which experienced a major earthquake in April 2009, showed that the toads exhibited anomalous behaviors five days before the quake, including disruption of their reproductive activity.
Potential benefits
According to the researchers, an early warning system based on animal behavior could have a significant impact:
- Save human lives: every additional minute of warning allows more people to evacuate from dangerous areas and clear buildings at risk of collapse.
- Reduce material damages: it could help limit the damages caused by natural disasters, which would be of great value to insurance companies.
- More reliable prediction: it could improve the prediction of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and hurricanes.
In this sense, the ICARUS project represents an innovative approach that combines modern technology with ancient wisdom about animal behavior.
If successful, it could revolutionize the way we anticipate and prepare for natural disasters, leveraging the unique sensory capabilities of animals for the benefit of humanity.
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