Seismologist says Taylor Swift fans caused activity equivalent of 2.3 magnitude earthquake during concert

Seismologist examined fan activity during Swift’s two show in Seattle

Seismologist Jackie Caplan-Auerbach has revealed that Taylor Swift fans caused activity equivalent to a minor earthquake during the singer’s recent concerts in Seattle, Washington.

Caplan-Auerbach, who works as a geology professor at Western Washington University, made the revelation about Swifties’ energy during the concert an interview with CNN, published on 28 July. The seismologist noted that during Swift’s two shows at Lumen Field, fans caused a seismic activity equivalent of a 2.3 magnitude earthquake.

Speaking to the publication, Caplan-Auerbach compared this activity - which she referred to as a “Swift Quake” - to the 2011 “Beast Quake,” when Seattle Seahawks fans went wild after Marshawn Lynch made a touchdown during the NFC Wild Card game. Caplan-Auerbach noted that the same local seismometer was used when detecting the enthusiasm at the 2011 NFL game and Swift’s concerts.

She explained that she first saw the comparison between the two events while she was moderating a Pacific Northwest earthquake group on Facebook. However, according to the seismologist, the levels of enthusiasm were much higher at Swift’s concert than they were during the Seahawks game.

“The shaking was twice as strong as ‘Beast Quake,’” she said. “It absolutely doubled it.”

Caplan-Auerbach went on to explain the “primary difference” between the activity at the music and sports event: “The duration of shaking.”

“Cheering after a touchdown lasts for a couple seconds, but eventually it dies down. It’s much more random than a concert,” she said. “For Taylor Swift, I collected about 10 hours of data where rhythm controlled the behaviour. The music, the speakers, the beat. All that energy can drive into the ground and shake it.”

She also said that she compared the energy at Swift’s two concerts, as one was held at the Seattle stadium on 22 July while the other was on 23 July.

“I grabbed the data from both nights of the concert and quickly noticed they were clearly the same pattern of signals,” she said, before adding:  “If I overlay them on top of each other, they’re nearly identical.”

The Independent has contacted Caplan-Auerbach for comment.

Along with her enthusiastic concert guests in the stands last week, Swift had another major fan during her tour: NFL star Travis Kelce. During a recent episode of his podcast, New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce, the Kansas City Chiefs’ tight end shared that he attempted to meet the “Anti-Hero” singer at one of her Eras Tour concert stops. However, he said that he was left “disappointed” when things didn’t go according to plan.

“She doesn’t talk before or after her shows, because she has to save her voice for the 44 songs that she sings,” he said. “So I was a little butthurt I didn’t get to hand her one of the bracelets I made for her.”

Kelce then revealed how he tried and failed to shoot his shot with Swift by attempting to pass her a bracelet with his phone number on it.

“If you’re up on Taylor Swift concerts, there are friendship bracelets and I received a bunch of them being there, but I wanted to give Taylor Swift one with my number on it,” he added.

Following her concerts in Seattle, Swift will be performing at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara this weekend as part of her US Eras tour.