Liverpool fans celebrating Premier League win triggered earthquake, say scientists
What's the story
Liverpool fans celebrating the club's win over Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield sparked a series of earthquakes, scientists have claimed.
A group of scientists from the University of Liverpool, using equipment typically employed in earthquake-prone areas like Chile, detected minor tremors during the festivities.
The researchers discovered that Alexis Mac Allister's goal in the 24th minute caused a tremor measuring 1.74 on the Richter scale.
Seismic celebration
Tremors were triggered by Liverpool's goals
The 60,000-strong crowd at Anfield also triggered a tremor of 1.60 when Mohamed Salah netted the fourth goal for Liverpool.
Similarly, Cody Gakpo's third goal during the match was responsible for a smaller tremor measuring at 1.03 on the Richter scale.
"Much like natural seismic events, these goals produced bursts of ground-shaking, triggered by the sheer passion of Liverpool fans. Their enthusiasm was literally powerful enough to move the Earth," Professor Ben Edwards said.
Study
6 seismic events recorded
The study was conducted by Dr. Antoine Septier, Dr. Farnaz Kamranzad, and Edwards.
"Who knew that football fans could generate seismic energy? This experiment shows us that science is everywhere, even hidden beneath the roar of a goal at Anfield. It is a great reminder that geoscience can capture the energy of human emotion in powerful and surprising ways," Kamranzad remarked.
In total, they detected six seismic events ranging in Richter magnitude from 0.7 to 1.75.
FC
Liverpool clinched their second Premier League title
"These were small tremors, not strong enough to be felt in the stands, but powerful enough to leave a clear and lasting mark at Anfield," Kamranzad added.
"I hope that our work inspires a new generation of seismologists and fosters a broader appreciation for the scientific process," Septier also commented.
Liverpool clinched their second Premier League title by beating Tottenham Hotspur 5-1 on Sunday.