Swift Shakes Seattle: Taylor’s Concert Generates Seismic Waves Equivalent to a 2.3 Magnitude Earthquake
Taylor Swift’s electrifying performances in Seattle reportedly triggered seismic vibrations similar to a 2.3 magnitude earthquake, according to a seismology expert.
The record-setting seismic activity was observed during Swift’s highly-anticipated Eras tour concerts held at Lumen Field on July 22 and 23. Seismology specialist Jackie Caplan-Auerbach attributed the unusual seismic events to the massive crowd of Swift’s fans and the concert’s sound system.
The impressive seismic response surpassed the previous Seattle record, the city’s infamous “Beast Quake” of 2011. The Beast Quake was the result of excited American football fans cheering for Marshawn Lynch’s touchdown in a Seattle Seahawks game against the New Orleans Saints.
Dr. Caplan-Auerbach, a professor of geology at Western Washington University, shared with CNN that the seismic activity during Swift’s concerts was 0.3 higher than that of the NFL game. Moreover, the intensity of the seismic waves was twice as strong, effectively doubling the Beast Quake.
After analyzing the seismic data from both concert nights, she observed that they showcased a similar pattern.
“The data from both nights of the concert and quickly noticed they were clearly the same pattern of signals,” she explained.
The concerts, which were attended by a total of 144,000 fans over two nights, have been hailed as some of the best by Swift herself. In an Instagram post, she expressed her appreciation, stating, “Seattle that was genuinely one of my favourite weekends ever. Thank you for everything. All the cheering, screaming, jumping, dancing, singing at the top of your lungs.”
These seismic concerts were part of the final leg of the US Eras tour – marking Swift’s return to touring after a five-year hiatus.
It’s worth noting that this is not the first time a music concert has been linked with seismic activity. A similar incident occurred during a 2011 Foo Fighters concert in New Zealand.
It was reported by BBC.
Image Credit: Jeff Kravitz/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management