Taylor Swift’s Edinburgh fans danced so intensely that their movements registered as seismic activity.
In fact, geological experts confirmed that fans at her recent Edinburgh concert literally made the earth move. Additionally, the British Geological Survey (BGS) shared this surprising data. Last week, Swift performed in the Scottish capital, and consequently, fans’ enthusiasm caused detectable earthquake readings.
Seismic activity was recorded almost four miles from Murrayfield Stadium. Swift performed there for three consecutive nights as part of her Eras Tour. According to the BGS, monitoring stations around the city captured this activity each night. They noted that the songs ‘…Ready For It?’, ‘Cruel Summer’, and ‘Champagne Problems’ generated the most seismic activity.
The BGS reported that the most “enthusiastic dancing” occurred on Friday, June 7.
Despite this peak, crowds on all three nights generated significant readings. Sensitive scientific instruments, designed to detect minor seismic activities, picked up these vibrations. However, only those in the stadium vicinity likely felt these movements.
The BGS observed that during ‘…Ready For It?’, the activity peaked at 160 beats per minute. This level of energy equaled around 80 kW of power, comparable to 10-16 car batteries. Friday night’s concert recorded the highest seismic energy, with 23.4 nanometers of ground movement. Saturday and Sunday followed closely, with 22.8 nm and 23.3 nm, respectively.
The first night of Taylor Swift‘s performance attracted nearly 73,000 fans, as reported by Scottish Rugby, which owns the stadium.
This turnout set a new record for the largest stadium concert in Scottish history.
Swift surpassed Harry Styles’ previous record of 65,000 fans from last summer. Each following night of her concert broke the record set the night before.
Swift’s Eras Tour spans 22 countries and 152 dates. It is on track to become the highest-grossing tour ever. The magnitude of her concerts’ impact is felt not just culturally but also physically, as seen in Edinburgh.
Callum Harrison, a BGS seismologist, explained the significance of these findings. He noted that BGS is responsible for recording earthquakes to inform the government, public, industry, and regulators. This helps in understanding earthquake risks and planning for future events. Harrison found it fascinating to measure concert-goers’ reactions remotely through seismic data.
He described the experience of exploring a new kind of seismic phenomenon as thrilling.
In summary, Taylor Swift‘s Edinburgh concerts not only entertained thousands but also caused measurable seismic activity. The enthusiastic dancing of her fans created vibrations strong enough to be detected miles away. The BGS’s findings highlight the unique and powerful impact of Swift’s performances. Her Eras Tour continues to break records and make history in unprecedented ways.