In Brief

California's Earthquake Early Warning System Advances

News
By published
A prototype user interface for a California earthquake early warning system.
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.

Read more: ShakeAlert

Email Becky Oskin or follow her @beckyoskin. Follow us @OAPlanet, Facebook or Google+.

Becky Oskin
Becky Oskin
Contributing Writer
Becky Oskin covers Earth science, climate change and space, as well as general science topics. Becky was a science reporter at Live Science and The Pasadena Star-News; she has freelanced for New Scientist and the American Institute of Physics. She earned a master's degree in geology from Caltech, a bachelor's degree from Washington State University, and a graduate certificate in science writing from the University of California, Santa Cruz.