Elephants Forecast Tsunamis

Function

Elephants are known to converse using low-pitched sounds that are inaudible to human ears. Their low but very powerful voices allow them to communicate over distances of 10km. At the time of the Indian Ocean tsunami in December of 2004, elephants sensed the approach of the tsunami in advance and collectively moved to higher ground, a phenomenon that garnered much attention. In fact, it is believed that the elephants predicted the coming of the tsunami because of their ability to pick up these mysterious sounds.

Functional Classification

Resouce/Energy/Information Transmission & Production:
Transmission

Environmental Solution Classification

Related Literature

Technical Application

There are many avenues of research into the infrasonic sounds we encounter in our daily lives. For example, the observation of very low-frequency earthquakes has furthered research to elucidate the movement of the earth’s crust. Investigation is also ongoing into the infrasonic waves emitted by machinery and their impact on human health.

Products and Services

Type of Business

Proposals of Applied Technology

Proposals of Applied Industry

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