In August 2023, some 70,000 people flocked to a stadium in Inglewood, Calif., for a Taylor Swift concert. During the show, dancing fans shook the stadium so hard that it created ground vibrations called seismic waves. During one song, those tremors released about as much energy as a minor earthquake.
Many natural events — including earthquakes and volcanic eruptions — make seismic waves. But a lot of human activity does, too. The thunderous excitement of that Taylor Swift show was just one case of humanmade vibrations.
Other performances have also created such “concert tremors.” The roaring crowds at NFL games can rattle Earth, too. In fact, some scientists have used the trembling of the Seattle Seahawks’ stadium in Washington to test out earthquake sensors. Mining, traffic and other activities generate their own vibrations.
On the flip side, big events that stop people in their tracks can lead to seismic quieting. Global lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic cut the amount of humanmade seismic noise in half in some places. Likewise, ground vibrations fell quiet in cities that witnessed a total solar eclipse in April 2024.
Studying humanmade seismic waves is useful for a few reasons. It can help engineers construct safer buildings. City planners can better understand how and where people move during big events. And scientists can learn how to filter humanmade noise out of seismic data. That way, they can get a clearer view of those natural sources of seismic waves.
Want to know more? We’ve got some stories to get you started:
Earthquake sensor: Taylor Swift fans ‘Shake It Off’ Scientists determined dancing fans were behind the seismic waves recorded during Swift’s concerts. (5/3/2024) Readability: 7.7
Ground-thumping cheers help scientists Eager to test new sensors before the next ‘big one,’ earthquake scientists make use of a predictable source of ground-shaking: football fans. (8/14/2015) Readability: 7.4
Explainer: Seismic waves come in different ‘flavors’ When Earth begins to rock and roll and shimmy, it’s important to know what the various types of shakes mean. (1/12/2018) Readability: 7.7
Explore more
Seismic data captured the sound of awe during a solar eclipse (from Science News)
COVID-19 lockdowns dramatically reduced seismic noise from humans (from Science News)
Deeply plowing farm fields can do more harm than good
Mystery solved: Why earthquakes haven’t wrecked Egypt’s Great Pyramid
Earth farts may explain some spooky floating lights
Analyze This: Where are U.S. earthquakes most likely?
What can ‘silent earthquakes’ teach us about the next Big One?
Activities
Scientists study ground shaking caused by earthquakes using seismographs. Want to see how they work? Try building your own with a cardboard box, a marker and some string, in an activity from Science Buddies.