Researchers Successfully Trigger 'Controlled Earthquake' In Southern Switzerland

2026-04-29 02:08:08

(MENAFN- Swissinfo) Researchers have made the earth to shake in the Gotthard massif in Ticino for the first time. This content was published on April 29, 2026 - 11:56 2 minutes Keystone-SDA

Deutsch de Forschungsteam feiert Erfolg bei Erdbeben-Experiment im Tessin Original Read more: Forschungsteam feiert Erfolg bei Erdbeben-Experiment im T

The experiment was very successful, according to the RWTH Aachen University of Germany, which was involved in the experiment. Over several days, scientists pumped highly pressurised water into a natural fracture zone in the Bedrettolab.

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The (Bedretto Underground Laboratory for Geosciences and Geoenergies) is a unique research infrastructure run by the Swiss federal technology institute ETH Zurich that makes it possible to take a close look at the Earth's interior. It is located in the Swiss Alps 1.5 kilometres below the surface and in the middle of a 5.2 kilometres long tunnel connecting the Ticino with the Furka railway tunnel.

The aim of the experiment was to trigger controlled stress changes in the rock and thus generate microquakes in a targeted manner. They have now succeeded in doing just that. A whole series of small tremors, some just below magnitude 0, were recorded. The tremors were not felt on the earth's surface.
More More Culture The art of earthquakes
This content was published on May 22, 2012 With a magnitude of 6.5 to 7.0 on the Richter scale, the most devastating earthquake recorded in central Europe occurred in Basel in 1356. The Swiss city is still considered at risk because of its fault zone location and dense population. (Photos: akg-images, Reuters, AFP, Wikipedia)
Read more: The art of earthq

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