Buildings in the future could be isolated from earthquakes by being placed behind rows of trees. That's according to physicists in France, who have shown that certain seismic waves, known as Love waves, could be diverted away from the Earth's surface as they pass through a forest containing trees of a certain height.

Can plants sense earthquakes?

When strong forces (wind, an earthquake, an animal) impact against a plant, the plant is capable of absorbing a large part of the energy because of the way plant cells slide over one another.

What can prevent an earthquake?

We cannot prevent natural earthquakes from occurring but we can significantly mitigate their effects by identifying hazards, building safer structures, and providing education on earthquake safety. By preparing for natural earthquakes we can also reduce the risk from human induced earthquakes.