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The Elastic Wave Theory
A theory about seismology developed and suggested that you can hit a solid object and waves of energy will travel through the object and cause movement; this was thought to be how an earthquake happens. -
John Winthrop: Creator
John Winthrop was known as the first person to study an earthquake and often called the creator of seismology. -
Milne's suggestion
David Milne suggested that a machine could be used to measure seismic activity. -
First use of seismometer
The first seismometer, as inventor David Milne called it, was used in 1841 to record the vibrations of the ground caused by earthquakes. -
First seismograph recorded
Cecchi builds the first time-recording seismograph in Italy. Higher quality instruments are developed by British scientist in Japan, but these early instruments are undamped, and therefore inaccurate after the first few cycles of shaking. -
Mallet Develops and Proposes
An engineer and scientist named Mallet went to Naples, Italy to study the after effects of a large earthquake. His work created some of the earliest theories about seismology which included the idea that earthquakes move outward from a central focal point. -
Gilbert's Discoveries
Grove Gilbert discovered earthquakes usually center around a fault line. -
Seismograph Becomes International
Horizontal pendulums, used as a seismograph, recorded an earthquake in Japan from Germany. -
First Seismograph in North America
The first seismograph in North America is installed at Lick Observatory near San Jose, California. -
The Mercalli Intensity Scale
A seismologist named Giuseppe Mercalli created a device to measure the intensity or likelihood of damage that may be caused by an earthquake. -
San Fransisco Earthquake
1897 Seismograph was able to record the great San Fransisco Earthquake of 1906. -
Moho Boundary
Andrija Mohorovii discovered a boundary between the earth's crust and mantle. -
The Richter Scale
Charles Richter makes the Richter Scale to determine the magnitude of earthquakes using numerical values.
