Did Taylor Swift fans cause an earthquake

Question

This article reports that a 2.3 magnitude earthquake occured in Seattle due to Swift's concert.

Answer 1

according to the smithsonian, fans did not cause an earthquake. however because there was so much movement, seismometers picked up the vibrations. 

"Concert-goers didn’t cause an actual earthquake, but they caused hours-long seismic events nonetheless, reports CBS News’ Simrin Singh."

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/taylor-swift-concerts-seismic-activity-180982632/#:~:text=Concert%2Dgoers%20didn't%20cause,reports%20CBS%20News'%20Simrin%20Singh.

Comments

Good work presenting the most relevant information in a concise manner with both an explanation and a quote.

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It's obvious from the start that this claim was false because fans would never be able to cause an earthquake. What they felt was the ground moving from their jumping and moving around at the concert. Here you show why that claim was false, in which you provide evidence with a quote and used CBS News, a reliable source, as a proof to why the claim is false.

Answer 2

According to the Washington Post, seismic data showed that the activity generated by Taylor Swift's fans at the Lumen Field in Seattle created vibrations, sending a lot of energy into the ground. A 2.3 magnitude earthquake was caused due to the fans in the stadium. It was only felt close to the concert, and since it was so small, no damage was caused. Jackie Caplan-Auerbach told CNN, "I collected about 10 hours of data where rhythm controlled the behavior. The music, the speakers, the beat. All that energy can drive into the ground and shake it." This is not as uncommon as people think, and it is said that vibration from all sorts of sources can cause vibrational force onto the ground. 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/2023/07/29/taylor-swift-fans-cause-earthquake/#

Comments

Sensationalism

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Awesome to hear about, thank you!

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Great use of the source

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I love how you cite multiple sources and pull quotes from said sources to highlight your overall conclusion. Well done.

Answer 3

It is true that fans of Taylor Swift caused seismic activity equivalent to a 2.3 magnitude earthquake, as confirmed by Western Washington University-affiliated seismologist Jackie Caplan-Auerbach in a CNN article. However, it is not factual to describe the activity as an earthquake itself as earthquakes must be caused by shifts in the Earth's lithosphere according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Since the recording was made as a result of human activity, it is more accurate to describe it as a seismic event comparable in power to a 2.3 magnitude earthquake. This is not misinformation, although the claim of Swifties causing an "earthquake" is misleading.

Sources:
CNN article: https://edition.cnn.com/2023/07/27/entertainment/taylor-swift-seismic-activity/index.html

USGS definition of earthquake: https://www.usgs.gov/programs/earthquake-hazards/science-earthquakes

Comments

Yup, it was sensationalized.

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What a great way to describe it!

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It is very interesting that it is true

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An interesting way to claim people causing an earthquake for sure!

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Thins a great example of a headline being phrased incorrectly. The fans may have caused seismic activity equivalent to that of an earthquake, but that's not to say they caused an actual earthquake.

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I also posted an answer on this post using USGS as a source, but I had an entirely different article. Do you remember what keywords you searched to find that separate source? I simply looked up "when is seismic activity considered an earthquake" and it was the very first result.

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I appreciate how you provided that technically, the concert caused "seismic activity" and not what most people would consider an earthquake. However, you state that the claim is misleading but rated it as "true," is there a reason for this?

Answer 4

It is true. I looked into the CNN article referenced in the article posted here. CNN spoke with Jackie Caplan-Auerbach, a professor of geology at Western Washington University. Caplan-Auerbach compared seismograms of seismic activity on two consecutive days that Swift performed and found them almost identical, meaning the combination of cheering, jumping, and Swifts music is what resulted in the seismic activity.

Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2023/07/27/entertainment/taylor-swift-seismic-activity/index.html

Answer 5

According to Fox News, Taylor Swift's fans caused seismic activity on July 22 and 23 at Lumen Field. The dancing and jumping paired with sound from the concert caused seismic activity on a scale of a 2.3 magnitude earthquake. Fox News cited seismologist and geology professor Jackie Caplan-Auerbach.

https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/taylor-swifts-seattle-fans-caused-earthquake-eras-tour-stop

Comments

did not cause an actual earthquake

Answer 6

This is true. To add more, according to CNN, this is also not the first time Luman Field recorded seismic activity from fans. In 2011 during a touchdown run by The Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch, the same seismometer recorded seismic activity equivalant to a 2.0 earthquake . While it is not the first time for seismic activity at Luman Field, the 2.3 magnitude earthquake caused by Taylor Swift fans was more than twice as strong in terms of energy. (USGS earthquake comparison calculator)

Sources,

CNN article, https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/27/entertainment/taylor-swift-seismic-activity/index.html

USGS (United States Geological Survey) Earthquake comparison calculator, https://earthquake.usgs.gov/education/calculator.php

Comments

i like that you included similar events

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Good job using another example to show that this type of activity has happened beforehand.

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Thanks for your response! You get straight to the point. The calculator is a fun addition and the use of a previous event for more proof is appreciated.

Answer 7

It is TRUE!

According to seismologist Jackie Caplan-Auerbach, seismic activity during Taylor Swift's Seattle performances was generated by the fervent cheering of her fans and the sound system. The shaking during the performances shattered the previous record, known as the "Beast Quake," which occurred during an American football game in Seattle in 2011. Dr. Caplan-Auerbach found that the seismic waves from Swift's concerts were nearly identical, showing the intensity of the audience's excitement. Swift's first tour in five years came to a conclusion with the shows, which drew 144,000 spectators over two nights. Seismic activity has already been related to music performances, as demonstrated at a Foo Fighters concert in New Zealand in 2011.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-66347361

Comments

I like your fact-check, and how you found a previous record from a previous football game. Are there any other articles or research that you found that can make this fact-check more reliable? How big was the seismic activity during Swift's performance?

Answer 8

It is true according to BBC News:

"Taylor Swift's concerts in the US city of Seattle generated seismic activity equivalent to a 2.3 magnitude earthquake, a seismologist has said.

The data was recorded at Swift's sell-out Eras tour performances at Lumen Field on 22 and 23 July.

Seismologist Jackie Caplan-Auerbach said the activity was caused by Swift's fans or the sound system.

The shows beat the previous record in Seattle, known as the city's "Beast Quake" in 2011.

That was generated by American football fans celebrating Marshawn Lynch's touchdown for the Seattle Seahawks during a game against the New Orleans Saints.Dr Caplan-Auerbach, a geology professor at Western Washington University, told CNN the difference between the NFL game and Swift's recent concerts was just 0.3, but the "shaking was twice as strong" and "absolutely doubled it".

"I grabbed the data from both nights of the concert and quickly noticed they were clearly the same pattern of signals," she said. "If I overlay them on top of each other, they're nearly identical.""

So in reality there's some sensationalism, but it is true. It was simply stronger than a typical sports game.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-66347361

Answer 9

Shockingly true! https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-66347361

According to this article from the BBC news, Swifties at the eras tour in Seattle were able to cause an earthquake. Seismic activity during the time of the eras tour read a magnitude of 2.3. Luckily no damage was caused since the seismic activity was so low, but it is still very impressive.

Dr Caplan-Auerbach, a geology professor at Western Washington University, told CNN the difference between the NFL game and Swift's recent concerts was just 0.3, but the "shaking was twice as strong" and "absolutely doubled it".

"I grabbed the data from both nights of the concert and quickly noticed they were clearly the same pattern of signals," she said. "If I overlay them on top of each other, they're nearly identical."

Answer 10

To add more credibility, I found an article written by BBC, one of the largest news media in the world. It states that "Taylor Swift's concerts in the US city of Seattle generated seismic activity equivalent to a 2.3 magnitude earthquake, a seismologist has said. The data was recorded at Swift's sell-out Eras tour performances at Lumen Field on 22 and 23 July."

bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-66347361