A rash of recent oarfish sightings in California could portend a disaster for the Pacific Rim state as traditional folklore and anecdotal evidence suggests.
Do oarfish at the surface portend disaster? Their presence isn't normal.
By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)
10/21/2013 (2 years ago)
Published in Technology
Keywords: Oarfish, earthquake, prediction, Japan, folklore, California
LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Oarfish are denizens of the deep and are rarely seen at the surface, or on the beach. However, within the past few weeks, two oarfish have washed up on California shores.
In Japan, there is a traditional correlation between oarfish and earthquakes that dates back for centuries. Traditional Japanese folklore says that oarfish beach themselves as a warning to the people before an earthquake. The normally elusive fish, which can be up to five meters in length, are said to be messengers from the palace of the Sea God.
Although scientists have not properly studied the matter, there does appear to be an anecdotal correlation between oarfish sightings and major earthquakes. Most recently, in the year before the massive March 11, 2011 earthquake in Fukushima Prefecture that took some 18,000 lives, Japanese fishermen reported a rash of oarfish sightings. These reports were made as early as March, 2010, following a major 8.8 quake in Chile.
A possible scientific explanation may be that deep-sea fish, such as oarfish, are more sensitive to seismic shifts and stress, and somehow respond to the tectonic pressure that builds before an earthquake by coming to the surface.
Does this mean the clock is ticking for Californians? It is still too early to tell. Two sightings, no matter how close together or rare, do not make for a verifiable trend that can serve as a reliable warning. Even if the beachings do correlate with a quake, it is still impossible to predict just when and where the quake will strike. That a major quake will someday occur in California is a foregone conclusion.
This 18 foot long oarfish washed ashore on Oct. 13.
---
By Marshall Connolly (CALIFORNIA NETWORK)
Get ready to give up your keys, human drivers may face driving bans in as little as five years as self-driving cars come online. Planners are evaluating a stretch of the I-5 in Washington for a possible human driver ban. If practical, it will spread. LOS ANGELES, CA ... continue reading
By Marshall Connolly (CALIFORNIA NETWORK)
In the future, robots and artificial intelligence will become so capable that they will take over every imaginable job from humans. What will happen when there is no more work for people to do? How will humans adapt to this workless future? And is there a dark side to ... continue reading
By Nikki Crawford (CALIFORNIA NETWORK)
Sony released the PS4 Pro specs, release date and more. LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - The system is set to hit stores November 10 and will cost $399 - but is it worth it?Let's start with the specs: If you don't already have one, it's time to invest in a 4K TV or ... continue reading
By Marshall Connolly (CALIFORNIA NETWORK)
A massive new telescope, the largest of its kind, will shortly go online to hunt for evidence of extraterrestrials. LOS ANGELES, CA (California Network) - China is about to switch on the world's largest radio telescope. The Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical ... continue reading
By Marshall Connolly (CALIFORNIA NETWORK)
The Chevrolet Bolt will have unprecedented range for an electric car, and represents one more step towards the end of the combustion engine. LOS ANGELES, CA (California Network) - Consumers are fed up with gasoline powered cars. Fluctuating gas prices, dirty air, and ... continue reading
By Marshall Connolly (CALIFORNIA NETWORK)
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has unveiled Blue Origin's next project. A rocket called the "New Glenn" will be almost as large as the Saturn V and will carry people. LOS ANGELES, CA (California Network) - Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin rocket business is about to construct a new ... continue reading
By Marshall Connolly (CALIFORNIA NETWORK)
Say goodbye to the delivery guy! His job is about to be phased out, with the first phase to begin immediately. Advances in drone technology and delivery methods will cut in half the number of delivery drivers needed in the next several years. LOS ANGELES, CA ... continue reading
By Marshall Connolly (CALIFORNIA NETWORK)
Experts are saying that ultra-realistic sex robots are coming soon, and some people may even fall in love with the machines. While some people see this as progress, others see this as a dark and sinister future where humans love machines more than one another. LOS ... continue reading
By Marshall Connolly (CALIFORNIA NETWORK)
The Obama administration is about to hand over the keys to the internet to the UN, where authoritarian regimes such as China and Iran will have more ability to censor and control speech. LOS ANGELES, CA (California Network) - The agency that hands out internet domain ... continue reading
By Kenya Sinclair (CALIFORNIA NETWORK)
Through advanced satellite imagery and artificial intelligence, Stanford scientists can map impoverished locations and track funding to see if the truly needy receive it or of donations and fundraising efforts go to fat-cat corporations. LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic ... continue reading
