Chinese Seismoscope Predicts Earthquakes

Sorry for bothering you guys with another EarthQuake thread, but I thought this was very interesting and also hope that maybe some others here can add to this thread about the different techniques and devices invented throughout history to detect an Earthquake.

While watching the Science Channel I noticed they had aired a program called "When Earth Erupts - Episode 'Pacific Rim'"

It originally aired on 15/3/2011 so it is obvious the program was filmed sometime ago. Hopefully I can find the program video to link here. It is certainly something to take a look at, as Japan, New Zealand and other areas are talked about in the video - earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

Not certain that the exact area they mentioned in the documetary is related to the recent events, I will have to watch it again to get a better idea. So, like I said, when and if I can find the documentary to put here for you guys I will.

I went to YoutTube.com and found the ScienceChannel YouTube channel . While looking on the page I found this interesting short video about an ancient or very old invention used to predict EarthQuakes.

I will search around for a bit more info on this device, but thought you guys and gals would be able to see of how the problem of predicting/locating EarthQuakes has been approached over our known history.

Here is the vido from the Science Channel at youtube.com:

I have seen an original of these - they are very clever and beautiful.

However, it's a bit of a stretch to say they 'predict' earthquakes. What they really do is alert people that one has begun.

However, I do love this type of old technology.

reply to post by esteay812


Have seen the real object in China . . .

Does not PREDICT earthquakes. It shows the direction in which one occurred.

Certainly the Chinese have been very clever for thousands of years . . . in many respects . . . not all.

I apologize if you guys think that I am stating that this device predicts EarthQuakes.

I simply titled the thread as the same title given to the video on ScienceChannel's youtube.com channel.

I thought about that as well, when first writing the thread, but decided to leave it. I thought maybe ScienceChannel might know a bit more about it than I do.

Yes, they are incredible looking devices and very clever for their time or any time really. Shows that, obviously, EarthQuakes were very important to them and their way of life. Instead of just running for the hills when a massive quake strikes, they would actually be proactive and take an initiative to try and search for an answer to them.

Who knows, this could be the jump-off point that got us finally to the techonology of the seismograph.