Videos circulating on social media appear to show bright flashes of light streaking across the sky prior to the seismic event, believed to be a mysterious aerial phenomenon known as “earthquake lights.”
A devastating 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck the High Atlas Mountains in Eastern Morocco last Friday, resulting in the death of at least 2,900 people and injuring approximately 5,500 others. However, an intriguing phenomenon that occurred before the quake has caught the attention of scientists and the public alike.
Videos circulating on social media appear to show bright flashes of light streaking across the sky prior to the seismic event, believed to be a mysterious aerial phenomenon known as “earthquake lights.”
The existence and cause of earthquake lights remain a subject of debate among scientists. These lights, if proven to be associated with seismic activity, could potentially aid in early detection efforts.
Historical records dating back centuries mention instances of light bursts linked to earthquakes, ranging from brief flashes to minute-long fireballs, appearing in various colors either high or low in the sky.
What are earthquake lights?
The United States Geological Survey calls earthquake lights sheet lightning, balls of light, streamers, and steady glow that are reported in connection to the earthquake. However, there is no solid proof to explain the mysterious phenomenon. Researchers have also maintained that earthquake lights appear before or during earthquakes, but rarely after.
According to USGS, geophysicists differ on the extent to which they think that individual reports of unusual lighting near the time and epicenter of an earthquake actually represent EQL: some doubt that any of the reports constitute solid evidence for EQL, whereas others think that at least some reports plausibly correspond to EQL.
Can’t be predicted
Due to the unpredictability of earthquakes, it is impossible to conduct a study to document these events firsthand, leaving scientists to rely on often unreliable human memories. However, the advent of security cameras and handheld phones has led to an increase in footage supporting the occurrence of these lights.
According to a report in Business Insider, geophysicist Friedemann Freund of the SETI Institute, who reviewed 65 reports of potential “earthquake lights”, suggests that these lights could be a complex form of static electricity. He theorises that the friction created when tectonic plates rub together could generate enough current to produce an electric discharge, explaining the bright flash.