Predicting earthquakes is not possible. Yet
But an intriguing new approach shows promise
Editor’s note (February 6th 2023): A massive earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria caused widespread damage, destroying buildings in many cities and, according to early estimates, killing hundreds of people and injuring thousands more.
This article appeared in the Science & technology section of the print edition under the headline “And now, stay tuned for the earthquake forecast”
Science & technology January 15th 2022
From the January 15th 2022 edition
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Elon Musk is causing problems for the Royal Society
His continued membership has led to a high-profile resignation
Deforestation is costing Brazilian farmers millions
Without trees to circulate moisture, the land is getting hotter and drier
Robots can learn new actions faster thanks to AI techniques
They could soon show their moves in settings from car factories to care homes
Scientists are learning why ultra-processed foods are bad for you
A mystery is finally being solved
Scientific publishers are producing more papers than ever
Concerns about some of their business models are building
The two types of human laugh
One is caused by tickling; the other by everything else