Overview

Located in a seismically active part of the world, China is beset by earthquakes, earthquakes that have routinely caused thousands of deaths in one of the most densely populated nations on Earth. This has been the case throughout recorded history, and likely much longer. Little wonder, then that scientists in ancient China were the first to develop a seismograph to monitor for earthquakes in their nation. The ability to quickly identify the occurrence and general direction of an earthquake could help the government muster assistance more rapidly. Over time, the original Chinese invention has become an important diagnostic tool, too, providing views of the deep structure of the Earth as well as giving us the ability to monitor for surreptitious nuclear weapons testing.

Background

In the Chinese capital city of Sian, in a room in the Imperial Chancellery for Astronomical and...