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Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Climate
- Daily Mail
Earth vibrated for 9 DAYS following a 650ft mega-tsunami, scientists confirm
Back in September 2023, scientists around the world were baffled by a bizarre seismic signal that repeated every 90 seconds for nine days. Now, almost two years later, scientists have confirmed the root cause of this bizarre phenomenon. Using novel satellite technology, experts from the University of Oxford have shown that the strange signal was caused by a 650ft (200 metre) mega-tsunami. This colossal wave was triggered by the collapse of a 3,937ft (1,200 metre) mountain into the remote Dickson Fjord in Greenland, unleashing 25 million cubic metres of rock and ice. The huge wave became trapped in the Fjord, bouncing back and forth in the form of a standing wave or 'seiche'. Lead author Thomas Monahan, Schmidt AI in Science Fellow at Oxford University, told MailOnline: 'The standing wave itself was massive. 'We estimate it to initially be 7.9 metres in height - that is an enormous wall of water bouncing back and forth. 'An estimate of the force that exerts over the length of the fjord is 500 Giga Newtons, which is equivalent to the amount of force produced by 14 Saturn V rocket ships launching at once, and was enough to shake the earth for days.' Part of what made the 2023 seismic event so mysterious was that no one directly observed the tsunami in order to prove it was the source of the vibrations. Even a Danish military vessel visiting the fjord in the days after the tsunami was unable to see any evidence of a standing wave. This was because the wave rapidly reduced in height even as it continued to produce seismic signals. Starting at around 23ft (seven metres) in height by the time it had crossed the 6.2-mile (10km) extent of the Dickson Fjord, the standing wave had become just centimetres tall after a few days. Combined with the fact that the military didn't know what they were looking for, this meant the wave went completely unobserved. Now, in a new paper published in Nature Communications, Mr Monahan and his colleagues have used novel satellite technology to make the first observations of the mega-tsunami. The scientists used 'satellite altimetry data', which works out the height of the Earth's surface by measuring how long it takes for radar signals to bounce off the surface. Due to the long gaps between observations, normal satellite altimetry isn't able to measure precisely enough to capture something like a wave. However, the researchers used data captured by the new Surface Water Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite launched in 2022. SWOT uses two antennae held on either side of a 33ft (10 metre) arm which work together to make extremely accurate measurements. This dataset covers over 90 per cent of the Earth's surface, allowing scientists unprecedented views of the world's waterways. Mr Monahan says: 'Unlike previous satellites, SWOT provides detailed two-dimensional measurements of sea surface height, down to the centimetre, across the entire globe, including in hard-to-reach areas like fjords, rivers, and estuaries. 'Because SWOT can "see" into remote regions from space, it gave us an unprecedented view into Dickson Fjord during the seiche events in September and October. 'By capturing high-resolution images of sea-surface height at different times, we could estimate how the water surface tilted during the wave — in other words, the slope of the seiche.' The researchers then combined these observations with seismic data taken from thousands of miles away to reconstruct the size and characteristics of the waves. Additionally, the researchers reconstructed the local weather and tide conditions to confirm that the wave could not have been caused by anything other than a massive landslide. Co-author Professor Thomas Adcock, of the University of Oxford, says: 'This study is an example of how the next generation of satellite data can resolve phenomena that has remained a mystery in the past. 'We will be able to get new insights into ocean extremes such as tsunamis, storm surges, and freak waves.' These abilities will become even more valuable in the future as climate change creates more freak disasters like the 2023 tsunami. As the climate gets hotter, glacial collapses will become more common and put more lives at risk. Research conducted by University College London in 2024 found that the collapse occurred because a warming climate had weakened the surrounding glacier. Dickson Fjord is a popular route for tourist cruise ships and, had a ship been in the fjord at the time, the impact could have been devastating. Last week flood waters created by the partial collapse of the Birch glacier in Switzerland destroyed 90 per cent of the nearby village of Blatten amidst fears that more villages could still be at risk. Mr Monahan says: 'Climate change is giving rise to new, unseen extremes. These extremes are changing the fastest in remote areas, such as the Arctic, where our ability to measure them using physical sensors is limited.' WHAT CAUSES TSUNAMIS? A tsunami, sometimes called a tidal wave or a seismic sea wave, is a series of giant waves that are created by a disturbance in the ocean. The disturbance could be a landslide, a volcanic eruption, an earthquake or a meteorite; the culprit is most often an earthquake. If the landslide or earthquake triggering the tsunami occurs nearby the shore, inhabitants could see its effects almost immediately. The first wave of the tsunami can arrive within minutes, before a government or other institution has time to issue a warning. Areas that are closer to sea level have a higher risk of being affected by the waves. Those less than 25 feet from sea level are the most dangerous. The cause of death most frequently associated with tsunamis is drowning. Additional hazards include drinking water contamination, fires and flooding. Initial tsunami warnings are usually based on seismic information only. Inhabitants of coastal areas that might be exposed to a tsunami are encouraged to follow evacuation routes in the event that they receive a tsunami warning. They should seek higher ground or move inland immediately to get away from the ocean.
CTV News
23-05-2025
- General
- CTV News
135-metre-long container ships runs aground in Norway, sits dangerously close to a home
Watch The 135-metre-long container ship NCL Salten remains stuck in waters off Trondheim Fjord, Norway.
Winnipeg Free Press
23-05-2025
- Health
- Winnipeg Free Press
Innovative horse simulator helps riders with disabilities get in the saddle
VICTORIA – 'Do you want to go faster?' Jayne Imeson already knew the answer she was going to get from her six-year-old son, Casey, sitting astride his new steed in a park in Central Saanich, B.C. He nodded with a smile. 'Always faster — this kid loves his speed,' Imeson said. Casey's usual ride is a Fjord horse named Valla, but on Thursday, he became the first official user of the MiraColt horse-riding motion simulator developed for the Victoria Therapeutic Riding Association. The first-of-its-kind device combines a commercially available riding simulator with an app-based software application designed by CanAssist, an organization that is part of the University of Victoria, dedicated to helping people with disabilities. The system allows riders to control the speed of their simulated ride through a variety of virtual trails. The university says it's aimed particularly at those unable to ride a real horse. Casey has cerebellar ataxia affecting his muscle control but he can ride Valla at the Victoria Therapeutic Riding Association, which has 13 horses of different sizes and kinds. But Casey's toothy grin as he rode the MiraColt suggested it was a good substitute. Users who straddle and sway on the device the size of a large suitcase can pick the scene displayed on a screen — a local park, an urban street or the Arizona desert. 'It replicates the movement of a horse at the gait of a walk,' said Liza Gagel, executive director of the Victoria Therapeutic Riding Association. 'It can go from a very slow walk to a very, very fast walk, and the walk is actually the most beneficial gait for therapeutic purposes, for both physical and mental movement.' Gagel said the simulator had the promise to help her organization meet growing demand. 'We are limited by the number of hours in a day and horses we have and staff we have,' she said. 'So we are trying to figure out how we are going to meet the needs of our community and then CanAssist showed up at the right time.' About 230 participants take part in the riding association's program, with another 50 people waiting, Gagel said. 'We don't know where we are going to add those people, so we are working with our committees right now to see how many of those people could do the simulator rather than the riding lessons, and then we can have people trade in and trade out,' she said. Gagel said the simulator would allow riders to warm up their muscles and improve core strength before hopping on a genuine horse. She added that it would allow others with behavioural challenges to release some of their energy before riding a real horse. Unlike a real horse, the simulator can also easily move to other locations. 'We can actually pick it up and take it to clinics or a physiotherapist office or people's homes, if that is a need,' Gagel said. Imeson, Casey's mother, has seen the benefits of therapeutic riding. Casey has been riding with the association for two years and the improvements have 'truly been incredible,' Imeson said. 'When he is in session here … he's always improving his abilities and his balance and his motor skills and his reflexes,' she says. 'It's leaps and bounds,' she adds. Imeson said she believes that the simulator would help her son make additional gains. 'It does an incredible job of replicating the horse movement,' she said. The simulator is the third project between the riding association and CanAssist during a 15-year collaboration with two local donors, Lynda and Murray Farmer, covering the full cost of the project, which is undisclosed. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 23, 2025.
BBC News
23-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Man in Norway wakes to find huge container ship in garden
A man in Norway woke up to find a huge container ship had run aground and crashed into his front 135m-ship (443ft) missed Johan Helberg's house by metres at about 05:00 local time (03:00 GMT) on Helberg was only alerted to the commotion by his panicked neighbour who had watched the ship as it headed straight for shore, in Byneset, near Trondheim."The doorbell rang at a time of day when I don't like to open," Mr Helberg told television channel TV2. "I went to the window and was quite astonished to see a big ship," he added, in an interview with the Guardian."I had to bend my neck to see the top of it. It was so unreal." Neighbour Jostein Jorgensen said he was woken by the sound of the ship as it headed at full speed towards land, and ran to Mr Helberg's house."I was sure that he was already outside, but no, there was no sign of life. I rang the doorbell many times and nothing," said Mr Jorgensen."And it was only when I called him on the phone that I managed to contact him," he told TV2. The Cypriot-flagged cargo ship, the NCL Salten, had 16 people on board and was travelling south-west through the Trondheim Fjord to Orkanger when it went off course. No one was injured in the incident, AFP news agency is not known what caused the crash and Norwegian police are said to be investigating. "It's a very bulky new neighbour but it will soon go away," Mr Helberg to reports, the shop had previously run aground in 2023 but got free under its own power.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Vincent Gallo & James Franco's Golden State Killer Thriller On Sale At Cannes Market With Lionsgate; U.S. Deal In The Bag
EXCLUSIVE: True-crime thriller Golden State Killer (previously known as The Policeman), starring Vincent Gallo and James Franco, is on sale this week at the Cannes market with Lionsgate. The film has secured a domestic distribution release via Lionsgate's longtime genre partner Grindstone. More from Deadline Neon Takes North America, UK, Australia & New Zealand On Cristian Mungiu's 'Fjord' With Sebastian Stan & Renate Reinsve - Cannes Market Cannes Chief Thierry Frémaux Addresses Trump's Tariffs: "Cinema Always Finds A Way Of Existing & Reinventing Itself" Kal Penn, Booboo Stewart & Nicole Elizabeth Berger To Lead Underground Chess Thriller 'Contra' Written and directed by Vito Brown, the movie has Gallo playing Golden State killer Joseph James DeAngelo, the serial murderer and rapist who began terrorizing California residents all the way back in the 1970s, only being brought to justice in 2018. Franco plays a detective who faces the impossible task of finding the serial killer at the height of his crime spree before he can claim his next victims. Producers are Scott Clayton, Jordan Gertner, Barry Brooker, Todd Williams, and Gary A. Hirsch. Gertner was previously aboard as writer-director but that's no longer the case, we understand. The project, which is currently in post-production, hit some turbulence last year when it was scrutinized by SAG-AFTRA over misconduct complaints against Gallo by multiple female actors. The complaints spotlighted sexual comments allegedly made by Gallo in the audition process, which took place in November 2023. Actor, filmmaker and musician Gallo, a Venice Best Actor winner, is known for subversive and provocative works including The Brown Bunny. 127 Hours, Spring Breakers and Pineapple Express star Franco has a spate of independent projects in production or post including Bunny-Man and Alina of Cuba: La Hija Rebelde. He hasn't appeared in a studio movie since the 2021 settlement of a legal case brought against him by former students who accused him of sexual misconduct. Best of Deadline Everything We Know About 'Nobody Wants This' Season 2 So Far List Of Hollywood & Media Layoffs From Paramount To Warner Bros Discovery To CNN & More A Full Timeline Of Blake Lively & Justin Baldoni's 'It Ends With Us' Feud In Court, Online & In The Media
