CATS and EARTHQUAKES! With Geophysicist Celeste Labedz

CalTech Seismologist Celeste Labedz asks: WTiF we could get our pet CATS to create a global EARLY EARTHQUAKE WARNING system? We have lots of fun... for science!

CELESTE LABEDZ is a grad student in geophysics at CalTech. Her research explores environmental processes using seismological observations. In particular, investigating subglacial hydrologic conditions using continuous seismic tremor data collected on and around the glacier. in order to improve observations and understanding of glacier dynamics as a whole. She's also interested in geoscience communication and public outreach.

Follow Celeste at Twitter.com/celestelabedz or Instagram.com/celestelabez

And listen to ALIE WARD’s wonderful interview with Celeste on the fabulous podcast series, OLOGIES!

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More on the If this week:

🐾WTI#1 Cats and Earthquakes

Many different animals have been known to respond to earthquakes before humans, but science has yet to prove whether their behaviors indicate any predictive abilities. After all, cats act strange for all kinds of reasons!

🐾WTF#2 Earthquake Science

What causes earthquakes and how are they measured? There are many myths about earthquakes and earthquake safety that are simply not true. Time for some myth-busting! How many of these have you heard?

For a deeper dive into seismology, take a look at the IRIS twitter account that posts all sorts of fun and useful information about earthquakes! Or check out this seismic monitor that shows all the current and past seismic activities around the world.

🐾WTI#3 Earthquake Safety tips

Real life is a lot more complicated than an elementary school drill, how do you stay safe in different situations when an earthquake hits? Here’s a guide to things you can do to prepare your home and keep yourself out of harm’s way.

While you drop, cover, and hold on, don’t forget your furry friends! The (un)Employed Feline Association indicates that its members might require help in a seismic event. Here’s what you can do to help your cats (and dogs!) stay safe during and after an earthquake.

🐾WTI#4 Seismology at Your Fingertips

While your feline cohabitants might have to wait to join in on the action, there are a lot of things you can do right now to get involved with seismology!

·      Fill out a survey for the seismologists out there if an earthquake happens in your area.

·      If you live in California, MyShake is a helpful earthquake warning app run by Berkley University. Here’s a look into how the system works. 

·      For a hands-on experience, check out RasberryShake where you can get your very own seismograph! Purrfect way to join the Shake community and help advance our understanding of how the Earth moves.

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Keep On IFFin',
Philip & Matt