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Time of India
6 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
Every 26 seconds, Earth's ‘mysterious heartbeat' repeats; scientists still don't know why
Source: X Visualise a heartbeat deep down under the Earth; soft, periodic, and undetectable to the human eye. Every 26 seconds, a faint seismic pulse emanates from deep within the Earth's crust. It does not level cities or lead to harm, but these vibrations continue unabated, exciting seismologists and geophysicists around the world. The Earth's 26-second pulse may not be a harbinger of disaster, but it is a compelling reminder of the planet's internal rhythms; rhythms we're only beginning to understand. As technology evolves and data becomes more refined, future research may finally explain the pulse's origin. Until then, it remains a quiet mystery repeating without fail, deep under the sea and beneath our feet. How Earth's 26-second pulse was first discovered in the 1960s According to the Discover Magazine reports, Earth's silent pulse history began over 60 years ago. In the early 1960s, a geophysicist named Jack Oliver, with the crude seismic equipment available at that time, noticed an unusual rhythmic signal in the seismograms. He determined its origin to be in the equatorial Atlantic Ocean, where he discovered it appeared to be periodic, becoming larger at specific times of the year. Even though his revolutionary find, the limitations of seismic technology during that era implied the signal could not be entirely verified. It was a scientific curiosity, nearly lost for years. University of Colorado study confirms Earth's rhythmic tremor In 2005, researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder reignited interest in this peculiar phenomenon. Seismologist Mike Ritzwoller and his colleagues, with more sensitive and state-of-the-art equipment, detected the same signal occurring exactly every 26 seconds. They were successful in identifying its source as the Gulf of Guinea, off the coast of west Africa. 'We saw something strange, consistent, and persistent,' Ritzwoller said, emphasizing the unique nature of this pulse. Unlike typical seismic activity, which is irregular and event-driven, this tremor was incredibly uniform and appeared unrelated to earthquakes or tectonic movement. Scientists view on the origin of the pulse Scientists have proposed two major hypotheses to explain the origin of the pulse: Ocean wave resonance One of the more well-supported ideas is that ongoing vibrations from ocean waves beating the continental shelf would create such vibrations. The theory suggests that when big waves hit the shallow underwater edges of continents, they apply pressure that generates weak seismic signals within the Earth's crust. It is similar to tapping on one end of a long table and sensing the vibration on the other end. This explanation fits with the observation that the signal strengthens seasonally and particularly when there are higher ocean swells. Volcanic activity near São Tomé There was another hypothesis proposed in 2013, this one by Chinese researchers. They actually pointed to a new explanation: volcanic tremors. São Tomé, the volcanic island located in the Bight of Bonny (a part of the Gulf of Guinea), was identified by the researchers as the potential epicenter. It is geologically active terrain, and the fact that the island lies near the source of the signal only adds more weight to the argument. However, as yet, no definitive volcanic origin has been identified, and no comparable eruptions or magma flow have matched the pulse's rhythmic consistency. Scientists still puzzled about the cause of Earth's 26-second tremor While the 26-second pulse is not an imminent threat to human life or facilities, it is one of the oldest continuing enigmas in geophysics. Seismologists monitor it closely with worldwide arrays of seismometers, but the lack of an unchallenged explanation maintains it as a topic of scientific interest. Some researchers believe that it may be a minor anomaly in Earth's overall seismic pattern. Others believe discovering what this pulse is may reveal hidden mechanisms in Earth's oceanic or volcanic systems. Even after decades of monitoring, the tremor has never ceased. Every 26 seconds, as if to the rhythm of an earthly metronome, the signal travels through Earth's crust; consistent, unobtrusive, and relentless. It's not strong enough to register with humans, but it registers on seismometers across the globe. It's referred to by scientists as "Earth's heartbeat", yet it's not something observed in natural seismic activity. Also Read | Japanese scientists unveil earthquake secrets that shake satellites in space
NDTV
03-06-2025
- Science
- NDTV
Earth Has A Pulse Every 26 Seconds And Scientists Have No Idea Why
Somewhere deep beneath our feet, the Earth appears to be pulsing quietly and rhythmically, every 26 seconds. This faint tremor, too subtle for humans to feel, has baffled scientists for decades. Detected by seismometers across continents, the mysterious "heartbeat" has no confirmed explanation, yet it continues to thump-unchanged, unexplained. First observed in the early 1960s by geophysicist Jack Oliver, the phenomenon-known as a "microseism", was traced to somewhere in the equatorial Atlantic Ocean, and was stronger during certain seasons. But without modern tools, Oliver's work remained largely theoretical, the Discover Magazine reported. It wasn't until 2005, when researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder stumbled upon the same signal using digital seismic data, that the mystery returned to the scientific spotlight. "We saw something strange, consistent, and persistent," says seismologist Mike Ritzwoller, recalling the moment his team rediscovered the pulse. They traced it to the Gulf of Guinea, off the coast of West Africa. But what causes it? One theory suggests it's the result of powerful ocean waves striking the continental shelf-much like the vibration you feel across a desk when someone taps it on one end. Another theory, proposed by Chinese scientists in 2013, points to volcanic activity near Sao Tome Island in the Bight of Bonny-suspiciously close to the pulse's origin. Despite decades of study and multiple teams examining the phenomenon from different angles, there is no consensus. "We're still waiting for the fundamental explanation," Ritzwoller admits. Some scientists have even stopped prioritising it, calling it an "intriguing but low-impact" riddle compared to larger seismic research questions. Still, the fact remains: every 26 seconds, Earth ticks like a metronome- its source, purpose, and persistence a mystery hidden beneath ocean waves and volcanic rock. And perhaps the most haunting part? It hasn't stopped.
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Scotsman
05-05-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
Young scrum-half impresses while 'embedded' at Glasgow Warriors
Scottish-qualified Ireland U20 international could stay for the longer term Sign up to our Rugby Union newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Glasgow Warriors coach Pete Murchie is hopeful of keeping Jack Oliver at the club for the longer term after the young Munster scrum-half impressed during training. Oliver, 22, has been spending time with Glasgow as he weighs up his next move. First-team opportunities have been hard to come by at Munster for the Ireland Under-20 international who is also Scottish-qualified. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'He's been training with us for a number of weeks now,' said Murchie, the Glasgow defence coach. 'Obviously, he's an option for us moving forwards. Jack Oliver during a Glasgow Warriors training session at Scotstoun Stadium, in April. | SNS Group 'He's done well. You know the history there in terms of [his] Scottish roots. Munster have allowed him to come to us for a period of time now and he's just been embedded in our squad and he's done well. Hopefully, there'll be something done there where he can stay around longer term.' Oliver is the son of the late Hawick and Scotland scrum-half Greig Oliver who was capped three times between 1987 and 1991 and moved to Ireland to coach. He was tragically killed in a paragliding accident at the age of 58 in 2023 while in South Africa to watch his son play in the World Rugby U20 Championship.
Scotsman
02-05-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
Glasgow Warriors poised to move for son of late Scotland international
Munster scrum-half on radar and could switch international allegiance Sign up to our Rugby Union newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Glasgow Warriors are considering a move for Jack Oliver, the Munster scrum-half and son of the late Scotland international, Greig Oliver. Jack Oliver was born in Melrose but grew up in Ireland and has represented his adopted country at age-grade level. He has been pictured training with Glasgow and reportedly attended the club's awards dinner last weekend. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Jack Oliver during a Glasgow Warriors training session at Scotstoun Stadium, on April 1. | SNS Group He played for Ireland at the World Rugby Under-20 Championships in 2023 in South Africa where tragedy struck, with his father killed in a paragliding accident at the age of 58. Greig Oliver had been in South Africa to watch his son play in the tournament. A gifted scrum-half in an outstanding Hawick side, Greig Oliver was capped three times by Scotland between 1987 and 1991. He played at two Rugby World Cups and was part of the 1990 Grand Slam-winning squad as the replacement scrum-half in the days when replacements were only permitted in the event of injury. He moved to Ireland for coaching roles and became Munster's elite performance officer. The late Greig Oliver played and coached Hawick and was capped three times by Scotland. | TSPL Jack Oliver, 22, followed in father's footsteps as a talented number nine and played for the famous Garryowen club in Limerick. He was added to Munster's Champions Cup squad in December 2021 and was a try-scorer on his first Munster start in the pre-season clash against Gloucester in September 2024. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad However, first-team opportunities have been limited and he now looks poised to move to Glasgow for next season. This could also see him switch allegiance to Scotland.
