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Modern reconstruction of the Houfeng Didong Yi. The Chinese Museum Calgary Alberta/Wikimedia Commons ======================================================================== Chinese scientists are exploring the possibility of recreating a modern, more sophisticated version of an ancient earthquake sensor allegedly invented nearly 2,000 years ago. The original, called the Houfeng Didong Yi, was, according to Chinese lore, invented in 132 AD by the famous Chinese polymath Zhang Heng. This is widely considered the world’s first dedicated seismoscope (earthquake detector). However, claims around the existence of this device have been questioned in recent years, with many citing that it was too advanced for the time. The Houfeng Didong...

Somebody alert Jeff Bezos: the Moon is shrinking. According to a new research study, the Moon may be shrinking as it experiences lunar quakes, known as "moonquakes." Researchers analyzed 28 moonquakes from 1969 to 1977 and came up with the startling observation that eight of the quakes came from "true tectonic activity — the movement of crustal plates," as opposed to impacts from asteroids or rumblings inside the celestial satellite. “We found that a number of the quakes recorded in the Apollo data happened very close to the faults seen in the [NASA’s Apollo and Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter missions] LRO...

WAPATO, WA – On March 7, 2018, at 3:00 pm, the Department of Natural Resources reported that some of their seismograph equipment had been stolen from the Rattlesnake Ridge landslide area. Seismologists arrived at the landslide area to check on their monitoring equipment. They noticed that parts of their equipment were missing. Some of the items missing were two 60W solar panels, and one Guralp 6TD seismograph worth approximately $12,000.00. The seismograph is about the size of a coffee can and it is useless to anyone who has stolen it. The public is encouraged to contact the Sheriff’s Office if...

NASA is calling off its next mission to Mars because there isn't enough time to fix a leaky seal on a key science instrument. The InSight spacecraft was set for launch in March. The problem is with a protective pouch around the lander's seismometer, which was designed to measure ground movement on the red planet. NASA managers and French designers of the instrument said Tuesday they must now decide whether the pouch's vacuum seal needs to be repaired, redesigned or the mission scrapped. ...