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HISTORIAS                    Manuel Espejo

The Strange Predictive Ability of Animals

 

Is it possible for animals to predict or sense natural disasters? There is a growing body of evidence suggesting that animals can indeed detect earthquakes or tsunamis. The belief in animals' ability to predict seismic activity is not new; it has existed for centuries. While some scientists have regarded these ancient beliefs as superstition, recent scientific research seems to support the idea, long held by many cultures, that animals are sensitive to environmental changes associated with natural disasters and can, therefore, predict them.

When we examine the collective behavio
ural changes of animals before disasters, the evidence becomes compelling. Recent studies have presented findings suggesting that certain species, including toads, dogs, and various other reptiles, amphibians, fish, birds, and mammals, may have the ability to sense changes in the Earth's behaviour shortly before a natural disaster occurs.

Scientists have proposed two hypotheses to explain how animals might detect or predict earthquakes. One theory is based on animals' capacity to sense ground vibrations, while the other suggests that animals can detect changes in gases released before seismic activity. However, research findings have not definitively identified how animals sense these impending disasters. What is clear is that animals do, in fact, detect earthquakes and tsunamis.

There have been recent instances of animals exhibiting unusual behaviour before natural disasters and either disappearing or migrating en masse days before events like earthquakes or tsunamis. Examples include the earthquake in l'Aquila (2009), the Indian Ocean tsunami that devastated the coasts of Asia and Africa (2004), the Gujarat earthquake in India (2001), the eruption of Sicilian Mount Etna (2012), the seismic event in Kobe (1995), and many more.

It is crucial to understand that this topic is not merely academic but directly impacts human lives. A striking example is the Haicheng earthquake in China on February 4, 1975, which had a magnitude of 7.5 (Ms) and typically results in significant infrastructure damage and loss of human life. Haicheng, at that time, had a population of approximately one million residents. Early on the same day, Chinese officials ordered the city's evacuation based on geological evidence and widespread reports of unusual animal behaviour, suggesting an imminent earthquake.

What can we deduce from the experiences of animals and their ability to detect seismic activity? The following conclusions stand out as the most significant:

  • We have much to learn. Despite substantial advancements in science in recent decades and centuries, there remain many gaps in our understanding of our planet and the other living beings with whom we share Earth.

  • We must maintain humility and continue our investigations. Research into areas like animal behaviour before natural disasters, which could potentially save millions of lives, sometimes languishes while other research areas, with limited long-term impact on our lives, receive substantial investments. It's essential to prioritize research that benefits humanity.

  • We should keep an open mind to uncover forces in nature whose existence we can't currently imagine. Many natural phenomena defy explanation with our current scientific knowledge. Phenomena currently labeled as paranormal could lead to new sciences and knowledge critical to our future. Strange occurrences, such as the behaviour of various living beings before seismic events, represent only a fraction of what remains unknown. Often, events we cannot currently explain fail to arouse the interest of governments and scientists, who may devote more resources to less consequential research areas.

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