Feature Earth

How earthquake scientists eavesdrop on North Korea’s nuclear blasts

Waves and ripples in the Earth can reveal the location and depth of an explosion

illustration of seismic waves under a mountain

NUCLEAR SHAKEDOWN  Rumblings of seismic waves reveal clues about North Korea’s nuclear weapons tests, detonated in a mountain.

Nicolle Rager Fuller

By Alexandra Witze

- More than 2 years ago

On September 9 of last year, in the middle of the morning, seismometers began lighting up around East Asia.