When commentators describe Taylor Swift’s concerts as “seismic,” they are not simply using a colorful metaphor. They are actually referring to a physical manifestation of the intense fandom of Swifties. As part of her Eras Tour, the 33-year-old performer recently took the stage at Seattle’s Lumen Field for two nights, and the events were so ground-shaking that geology professor Jackie Caplan-Auerbach from Western Washington University decided to investigate further. She wanted to compare the seismic activity caused by Swift’s concerts to the “Beast Quake,” which occurred in 2011 during a Seattle Seahawks football game when Marshawn Lynch scored a touchdown and the crowd went wild, as reported by KING 5.
During the Beast Quake, the seismic magnitude was measured at 2.0. Caplan-Auerbach collected 10 hours of data from Swift’s two concerts and analyzed the results. She discovered that the ground shook in almost the exact same pattern on both nights, indicating that the crowd’s reaction was influenced by the specific songs played in Swift’s setlist. In terms of comparing the two “quakes,” the Swift Quake registered a magnitude of 2.3, surpassing the Beast Quake. Caplan-Auerbach explains that this magnitude equates to about twice the amount of shaking experienced during the Seahawks game.
Analyzing the seismology of concerts can be challenging because it’s difficult to determine whether the activity is caused by fans jumping up and down or by the vibrations coming from the speakers themselves. Additionally, while enthusiastic cheering at football games typically occurs briefly after specific moments such as touchdowns, fan reactions at concerts tend to be more random throughout. Caplan-Auerbach also highlights that there is a larger significance to this phenomenon beyond Taylor Swift.
“What I love is being able to show that this is science,” she tells CNN. “It doesn’t have to be confined to a lab with scientists in white coats. Everyday observations and experiences can be scientific.” Those interested in assisting the professor in further analyzing the Swift Quake (she believes that a low hum picked up during the concerts may be caused by dancing fans) can upload their own videos from the recent concerts here. It is worth noting that Taylor Swift’s impact extends beyond the realm of seismic activity and has significant effects on local economies as well.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
