{
  "id": 2720689,
  "title": "Using thunderquakes to X-ray Earth – a new study shows urban seismology in action",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/23/using-thunderquakes-to-x-ray-earth-a-new-study-shows-urban-seismology",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-23T04:34:38.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Hindustan Times - World News",
    "slug": "hindustan-times-world-news",
    "url": "https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/us-news/using-thunderquakes-to-x-ray-earth-a-new-study-shows-urban-seismology-in-action-101787459679064.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "When lightning strikes, it superheats the air and creates a shock wave heard as thunder. A portion of that energy converts into seismic waves, known as thunderquakes, which ripple through the Earth's subsurface. While scientists have not fully understood these signals, a new study reveals that thunderquakes can be used to map underground structures, such as groundwater movement, environmental contamination, and sinkholes, much like X-rays image the human body. Researchers utilized fiber-optic cables, often found in communities worldwide but rarely used as seismic measuring instruments, to listen to thunderstorms and convert them into vibration sensors. This technique, called distributed acoustic sensing, provides an inexpensive and continuous method for monitoring the shallow subsurface, potentially aiding in hazard assessment and urban planning.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Conversation",
        "title": "Using thunderquakes to X-ray Earth – a new study shows urban seismology in action",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/21/using-thunderquakes-to-x-ray-earth-a-new-study-shows-urban-seismology",
        "published": "2026-08-21T17:59:58.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Phys.org",
        "title": "Thunderquakes enable seismic imaging of Earth's shallow subsurface",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/21/thunderquakes-enable-seismic-imaging-of-earths-shallow-subsurface",
        "published": "2026-08-21T18:00:01.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Japan Times",
        "title": "NASA-led study shows some Earth microbes could survive on the moon",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/22/nasa-led-study-shows-some-earth-microbes-could-survive-on-the-moon",
        "published": "2026-08-22T04:58:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}