Amphibians don't just teach us how to stay married, they can also predict earthquakes. Biologists have discovered the common toads can sense an impending earthquake because they have been seen to flee their underground colonies days before one strikes. Other animals that seem to sense quakes, such as fish, mice and snakes, do so shortly before an earthquake strikes, rather than DAYS ahead, like toads do. Maybe it's time to get a pet toad!
Rather than sensing movement in the ground, scientists think that the toasts may sense the disruptions in the ionosphere (the uppermost electromagnetic layer of the earth's atmosphere) which have been linked to the release of radon gas prior to an earthquake.
In BBC News, Matt Walker quotes biologist Rachel Grant as saying, "Our findings suggest that toads are able to detect pre-seismic cues such as the release of gases and charged particles, and use these as a form of earthquake early warning system."
We had an kind of earthquake in Nashville last summer and if you missed it (or want to experience it again), here's your chance. And if you want to find out what your favorite Dreamland hosts are thinking THIS YEAR, join us on June 25-27 for a thought-provoking good time!
Art credit: Dreamstime.com
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