We have enjoyed a period of time on this planet that has been relatively calm and habitable. I guess we could argue that since the last ice age, some 12,000 years ago, life on planet earth has been like heaven compared to the other heavenly bodies in our solar system. It has been this relative stability that has allowed us to build our civilization to the towering heights it has reached.
Unfortunately, it won’t always be this way. There is an ebb and flow on our planet and no matter what we humans do, we are subject to that cycle. Now, it’s not one simple cycle that we must deal with. Instead, there are a vast number of cycles on this planet that affect habitability.
One cycle is the rotation of the earth itself and the correlation between it and seismic activity.
Scientists have warned there could be a big increase in the number of devastating earthquakes around the world next year. They believe variations in the speed of Earth’s rotation could trigger intense seismic activity, particularly in heavily populated tropical regions.
With all this science and intelligence on our changing planet, it seems we have muddied our own natural survival instincts. Did you know that there are signals given off by our planet to warn us of impending disasters?
We have so wrapped ourselves in distractions that we cannot take advantage of these signals with our physical bodies. Animals still react to these signals though, and while we have muted our own senses we can rely on theirs as a natural ‘tell’ for what’s coming.
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The Earth’s Natural Signals
There are many ways that our planet and its atmosphere convey approaching disasters and changes in the weather. Some of these signals can be measured by sophisticated human instruments; but they are also picked up and acted on in the animal world.
One of the most well known is barometric pressure. You probably hear about this on the nightly news. Barometric pressure drops as storms approach. This is how animals know things like major storms and hurricanes are nearing. Hydrostatic pressure is similar, but affects the water pressure, and this is what sends fish to deeper water when the pressure drops enough.
Lesser known but just as important, infrasonic impulses are another sign the earth gives us. These low vibrations are emitted by natural disasters and can be early warnings for tidal waves, earthquakes or even volcanic eruptions. They all send the same message to animals that can sense them – trouble is coming.
Animal Signals
There must have been a time when we were just as perceptive as the animals on this planet, since we have lost much of that ability. I want to tell you about some signs and signals that you can observe from the animals around you that may clue you in to when a serious situation is heading your way.
Remember, we may not always have the weatherman to tell us when a massive hurricane is bearing down – but who needs a weatherman when animals give clear signals that trouble is coming?
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The Birds and The Bees
Both of these animals are going to seek shelter if a disaster is imminent. You could watch your own bees or bees from another area head into their hive. Bees will take shelter before disaster. Birds may also be migrating in a new pattern before a serious storm. I hope you know basic directions and that birds typically fly south in the winter and north in the summer. Use this information to look for strange migration patterns.
Henry Streby of the University of California, Berkeley, and his colleagues discovered that golden-winged warblers take off from their expected locations more than 24 hours before storms hit. In this case, the storm in question produced tornadoes that killed at least 35 people.
On the Water
A lot of fish behavior can tell you about what’s coming. It has long been a trick in my family to get out fishing just before a storm. The coming front often turns fish on and makes them aggressive. When the storm is very close the fish can shut down. I have read that jumping fish can be a sign of electric impulses in the air and water; or even of pressure changes.
Frogs often head for higher ground, and can actually be seen climbing away from water bodies; before storms. They will also get quieter at night.
Down on the Farm
It is common for cows and other herd animals to head for the high ground before a storm. They sense the same pressure changes we discussed earlier. Horses and other pets might refuse food as well as exhibit agitated behavior.
Chickens also feel the threat and can slow or stop egg production as a result.
Related: Should You Worry About Raising Chickens And Salmonella?
Man’s Best Friend
Dogs become agitated and aggressive before a natural disaster. They may bark more and be more anxious before a major weather event or other disasters. They could be wary of certain locations in the yard or on walks that they normally frequent.
Some scientists think dogs and other animals can sense the preliminary waves that signal an earthquake ahead of the destructive seismic waves. Humans can’t detect P-waves, but most animals have more acute senses than we do.
Picking up on how your dogs are acting can give you last-minute warning of an earthquake. In this video, you can see two puppies wake up just before an earthquake hits. You might not get a lot of warning, but it could be all you need to run outside where it’s safer.
Here’s another example, this dog suddenly jumped up and ran to his owner. Six seconds later the earthquake arrived. That’s six seconds for you to start processing and reacting – and in a disaster scenario, every second count.
Dogs are one of the best examples because you can observe them very closely for strange behavior.
A few other strange animal behaviors that could signal disaster are things like:
- Bats flying during the day;
- Ladybugs gather just before a heatwave;
- Monkeys can refuse food and become very agitated before a disaster. This is also true of human babies. I watched this first hand with my newborn son just days before a hurricane hit our hometown.
- Elephants have been seen to head for higher ground before a tsunami strikes. Tsunamis are caused by earthquakes; so it’s likely the elephants are picking up warning signs of the seismic shock.
A mixture of our pompous attitude towards our short-lived dominance of the earth and an overwhelming reliance on technology, has put us at greater risk of falling victim to major disasters. We do silly things like filming tornadoes and storms rather than seeking shelter. We rely solely on the news to tell us when things are going wrong.
Of course, the biggest failure that has come from our muting of the earth’s warnings is our lack of preparedness. While animals stow away food for the winter and head to higher ground in times of disaster, the human-animal is so bold that we hardly react till disaster is on the doorstep.
It is this terrifying lack of preparedness that forces so many of us to be the antithesis. Preppers use this unique time of massive technological advantage and resource access to build powerful systems that help them survive anything from a powerful thunderstorm to the world-changing disasters that will come.
