Phys.org published an article about a groundbreaking Japanese study that suggests an increase in groundwater helium levels mean an earthquake is imminent. While this is only a preliminary study it could lead to more research that verifies it as factual. If it does prove to be true, then I would wonder if animals can sense this helium shift after drinking water.
Thousands of people have been known to report their pets acting strangely in the days leading up to an earthquake. If these animals are drinking from natural groundwater, they may be better able to detect the helium shift, thereby anticipating the coming of an earthquake from past experience. The article states that the shift is stronger in areas closer to epicenters, so if more reports are coming in about strange animal behavior near them, there may be a correlation. Hopefully any future studies will include this hypothesis.
This is tremendous news for the field of seismology. In the future, they may be able to predict earthquakes by using helium sensors in local groundwater and monitoring any sudden changes. They'd be able to do this by generating maps of helium content all over a country (like Japan) the same way something like radar finds rain on a weather map, i.e., remote sensing. If a large portion of helium is concentrated in a localized area, they could forecast it as being the epicenter of a possible earthquake. Technology like this would save companies billions of dollars in damage control, not to mention the countless lives that could be spared.
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