Smartphone production linked to human-induced earthquakes • Earth.com

Smartphone production linked to human-induced earthquakes

04-05-2018


Smartphone production linked to human-induced earthquakes Today’s Video of the Day comes from AXA Research Fund and features a look at how the production of smartphones can actually increase the likelihood of earthquakes.

Host Greg Foot visits the mountains of California to learn about how the mining of rare earth minerals used to manufacture smartphones can increase the odds of human-induced earthquakes.

According to the research, there are 17 rare earth metals in the world, 16 of which are used in mobile phones. In 2017, UK researchers released the Human-Induced Earthquake Database, cataloging all anthropogenic seismicity—documentable earthquake activity that might be attributed, at least in part, to human activity. Results show that four main types of human activity may cause seismicity.

Another human activity that can cause an earthquake is dam building. The construction of dams has caused some of the largest and deadliest human-triggered earthquakes in history. China’s 2008 earthquake in Sichuan province that measured 7.9 on the Richter scale was a devastating event scientists believe. Humans are causing more and more earthquakes to take place through industrial and commercial activities that put stress on the Earth.

As seen above Smartphone production linked to human-induced earthquakes  and The amount of stress released in an induced earthquake is not necessarily the same as the anthropogenic stress added because pre-existing tectonic stress may also be released. Thus earthquakes disproportionately large compared with the associated industrial activity may be induced. 

By Rory Arnold, Earth.com Staff Writer

Video Credit: AXA Research Fund

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