An Italian experiment being hosted at the International Space Station (ISS) hopes to test the hypothesis that electromagnetic waves are released from the ground before an earthquake. The theory states that stress accumulating in fault zones pulverize granite, which in turn excites electrons that emit electromagnetic radiation when dropped back to their normal energies. These electromagnetic waves move through the Earth's surface into the atmosphere, where they are trapped in the Van Allen belt. The ability to read this infomation may allow detection of earthquakes as much as two weeks before they occur. The experiment, LAZIO-SIRAD (Low Altitude Ionization Observatory) will run for at least six months, although, many scientists are skeptical.
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