California's Earthquake Early Warning System Advances

A prototype user interface for a California earthquake early warning system. (Image credit: Caltech)

The country's first early warning system for earthquakes inched a step closer toward reality today (April 9).

California's Senate Governmental Organization Committee today passed a bill funding a statewide early warning system, the first hurdle in bringing the legislation before the full state Senate. The technology already exists to alert hospitals, trains, nuclear plants and anyone with a phone app of incoming earthquake waves, but scientists need about $80 million to debug the software and install more earthquake monitors statewide.