Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, I came across this word today. Where do they originate? It's a descriptive name of a disease that is imported to the world from Asia as an accidental by-product of the amphibian pet market. It describes a fungus that is killing frogs throughout the world. Descriptive words of which this one is, are based on scientific research. They normally describe a particular finding of the investigations. When there is no proven scientific study completed, humans will connect unrelated events to explain natural calamities. Predicting Earthquakes is one of those phenomena that we will invent Myths to explain the source of the cause.
The article I wrote two days ago was centered around predicting Earthquakes. As I write I'm constantly researching words and statistics. During that process, I regularly come across articles related to the subject I am on. Earthquake prediction searches turn up numerous interesting topics. I have chosen to write about one of them. Earthquake prediction Myths, some ancient predictions, some modern, and some common to both. Humans have always been on a quest to understand the environment we live in and we have always tried to make sense of seemingly unexplainable natural events. To satisfy that curiosity people have relied on Myths, folk remedies, and often superstition. I have discovered a few of them, in this article I will list some ancient, as well as some that are still believed today. |
| Somebody dreams these things up. |
* Earthquake Weather; people have related the weather to earthquake activity ever since we developed the ability to relate two natural events to one another. It would be logical if the Prehistoric Humans connected the two, many people still do to this day. My wife is one of them. It was mentioned in my last article. Asking her to come outdoors one early morning I asked her if she thought the day was a bit odd. The morning was hazy, yellowish hue, weirdly warm, and a slight wind. Without hesitation, she replied "we're going to have an earthquake." very matter of factly. She and I have had that conversation before, weather and earthquakes share no known relationship.
* Earthquakes always happen early in the morning; actually, the news here is that the tremblers have no sense of time. The huge Mexico City earthquake of last year occurred on the afternoon of September 19, 2017, 1:14 central time. Loma Prieta took place at 5:02 p.m. (1989). We have a tendency to remember events that support our theory's.
* California will one day shear off and fall into the ocean; No, it won't, the Pacific Plate is moving in a Northwesterly direction as related to the North American Plate. It's moving horizontally, which means Los Angelos is moving North towards San Francisco. We won't sink but one day we may end up with a huge City on San Francisco Bay. With San Francisco on the shores of the Columbia River. No, California will not drop into the Pacific, it will merely move North, but not the entire state just the part West of the San Andreas fault.
* Small Quakes will reduce the pressure keeping bigger ones from happening; uh, no. It would take a billion magnitude 3's to equal one magnitude 9. The small shaker may release some pressure in a very small area, but it will not prevent a bigger one.
* Prior to an Earthquake deep sea creatures are washed up on the beaches; Three days ago a hairy six-meter (just under 20 foot) long animal washed onto the beach in the small town of San Antonio, Oriental Mindoro, Philippines. Most residents were alarmed by the news as it's believed to be an omen. Something bad is going to happen is a common sentiment. "An earthquake is headed for Oriental Mindoro, please pray for us." Is another belief. The hairy beast is most likely a sea cow or a whale in the final stages of decomposition. It is not a precursor of an impending disaster of any kind.
There is a grain of truth in Myths, history has been passed from generation to generation in the form of stories. It is hard to tell if the story preceded the natural event, or if a Myth was adapted to include the occurrence. Natural disasters must have been unbearably frightening for the people in pre-historic times.
* In the North Western United States; It was believed a struggle between the Thunderbird, and a Whale caused Tsunamis and Earthquakes. The disasters most likely took place and a Myth was created to explain the Natual events.
* The Greeks believed Poseidon was the god of the sea, his nickname was Earthshaker. When he became angry his trident would cause a trembler as he slammed it into the ground.
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| Poseidon with his Trident, causing an Earthquake |
* Japan is known for many things, two of those are Earthquakes and Tsunamis. A giant catfish was believed to be the cause, it lived under the Island Nation. The people would catch a catfish after an Earthquake then beat it with sticks as a punishment for causing the related disasters.
* In Europe during medieval times a common belief was that "Atlas Shrugged". Causing the earth to shake when he shifted the weight of the world resting on his shoulders.
* The great Lisbon Earthquake of 1755 was not only a major shaker on the ground, but it shook the religious, and philosophical establishments of the time as well. The reasoning was a gentle and benevolent God would not have allowed the deaths (60,000) and massive human suffering. It was determined the cause must be something inside of the Earth. It is thought that realization was the beginning of scientific study into the cause of the tremblers.
* A common belief during ancient times and carried on to modern days is the moon is capable of causing Earthquakes. It is possible the tide can nudge the tectonic plates a tiny bit but is it possible for a full moon cause an Earthquake? The answer is simply no, however everytime an Earthquake occurs on the phase of the moon the Myth is resurrected and begins another life. It's a Myth that has been around as long as people have had the ability to relate natural events to one another.
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| No, the Moon is not a predictor either, sorry. |
We seek patterns to explain the world around us, often we believe animals have special abilities to predict, that is not accurate as well. We have a tendency to believe an increase in shakers is a precursor to a larger one that is soon to happen, no they are not related. The prediction of Earthquakes is impossible right up to today, but it sure doesn't stop us from trying. It's fairly easy now to predict where one will happen, however, the trick is predicting when.
Thank you for reading and sharing this article, please leave a comment with a myth you have heard pertaining to the prediction of an Earthquake. Especially if the prediction was accurate, which I am sure somewhere, at some time someone did predict one, place, and time.
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This was an interesting read. I don't know of any earthquake myths, but I can relate by knowing people who think signs (such as your wife's noticing a dead cat on the side of the road) are bad omens relating to an oncoming natural event. Where did you learn about the Japanese myth about the catfish? I've never heard that one before.
ReplyDeleteWhile I was investigating Earthquake prediction earlier in the month I kept coming across cultural prediction myths. I wondered if there is a grain of truth in any of them, as there is with oral history passed along. It's interesting to me how many are still kind of believed. From what I have gathered, most people don't really believe them as much as merely repeat them. There are thousands of these prediction myths. Thanks for the comment, I have been gone for 5 days, with no access to the internet.
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