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Scientists Baffled By Inexplicable Seismic Waves Recorded In The Indian Ocean

Scientists Baffled By Inexplicable Seismic Waves Recorded In The Indian Ocean

The experts haven't got a bloody clue. At least they're honest.

Tom Wood

Tom Wood

Scientists have been left baffled by mysterious seismic waves that were detected underneath the Indian Ocean a few weeks ago.

The bizarre activity took place near to the island of Mayotte, not far from Madagascar, but was picked up by stations all around the globe.

The waves occurred for 20 minutes straight and were largely undetected by everyone but earthquake detecting enthusiasts and seismologists. The weird thing is that nobody actually knows what caused it.

So, these types of seismic waves are usually caused by massive earthquakes. That makes it even stranger that we don't have any idea about it because there was - as far as we know - no such earthquake.

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Naturally, there are a load of theories about what actually caused it. They range from an undetected meteor strike (which would be cool) to an underwater volcano blowing its top.

The activity was recorded on November 11th, and since then people have been trying to work out what caused them.

Mayotte Island from space.
PA

A seismologist and unusual activity expert, Göran Ekström, from the University of Columbia in the United States, told National Geographic: "I don't think I've seen anything like it,"

That's a good start, then. Even a guy who is a specialist ion weird seismic activity is stumped. What chance does everyone else have?

Ekström continued: "It doesn't mean that, in the end, the cause of them is that exotic."

That's OK, then. As long is no gigantic cryptid is going to emerge from the sea near Madagascar and wreak havoc on the world.

The discovery of the activity was recorded across the whole of the globe in places like Chile, Canada, Hawaii, and even as far away as New Zealand.

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The shockwaves sent - well - shockwaves through the international seismology community. Apparently, they were 17 seconds apart and are what is known as monochromatic waves.

As you can imagine, scientists are working overtime to figure it out. Some reckon it is indicative of magma beneath the surface shifting about. Others think that it could be a 'slow' earthquake, or an underwater eruption.

They're going to try to survey the ocean around there to work out what has gone on, but until then we have to content ourselves with the knowledge that they haven't got a bloody clue.

That almost definitely confirms what we're all thinking.

It's definitely Godzilla isn't it?


Featured Image Credit: PA/Pixabay

Topics: Science, World News, Interesting