Can Animals Predict Earthquakes? Science Fiction

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Welcome to Science Fiction,

the show which shakes up our preconceptions about science...

With startling precision.

Well, BUD E, what's it going to be today then?

Watch your head there, love, it's lethal in here, so it is.

Today's question comes from Nelly in New Delhi.

Can animals predict earthquakes?

The Earth is made up of three distinct layers.

Chocolate, caramel and peanut butter.

The core, mantle and crust.

Oh, that's it, I knew it had something to do with food.

Now, the crust is broken up into sections called tectonic plates

and where these plates meet, fault lines occur.

Ah, sure, we all have our faults.

And it's along these fault lines that earthquakes sometimes happen.

But, luckily for us, Nelly, animals have a built-in

earthquake sensor that they can use to warn us of any danger. BARKING

SNORING

What nonsense, Professor! Animals DON'T have earthquake sensors.

But why is it they always go mad before an earthquake, so?

Well, while it's true that animals experience

the world in a different way to us,

there simply isn't enough scientific evidence

to suggest they know when an earthquake is coming.

It's possible us humans are just seeing patterns in the world

that aren't there.

Sure, that's just a load of old... Which is it so though, Dr Knowles?

-It's inconclusive, Professor.

-Huh?

-Sometimes that happens in science.

But, like, now I don't get to say the catchphrase. That's my job.

COMPUTER VOICE: Science fiction.

Like, that's how it's supposed to work.

You do the science bit and then I do the line.

I go, "That's a load of science fiction."

I've nothing to say now, nothing.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd