EarthquakeCan Scientists Predict Killer Earthquakes？The date was November 23，1980．People n
Earthquake
Can Scientists Predict Killer Earthquakes？
The date was November 23，1980．People near Naples，in Southern Italy，felt the earth roll and shake. Earthquake! Suddenly buildings came tumbling down. Cracks appeared in the earth．Within minutes，entire towns were destroyed．Thousands of people were dead．Thousands more were injured．
As rescuers searched through the rubble，many people must have wondered，if only the victims had known ahead of time，many lives could have been saved．
Actually，an Italian scientist did predict that such a quake would happen．In 1977 Dr．M．Caputo of the Universite Degiles Studi in Rome warned that a large quake would soon strike the east of Naples．Unfortunately，he couldn't predict the exact time and date of the quake．
Dr．Caputo made his general prediction after talking with scientists at 54 earthquake-monitoring stations throughout Italy．He learned that many earthquakes had recently rocked different areas around Naples．But none had occurred in one particular spot east of Naples for many years．Dr. Caputo felt that the area was long overdue for a large quake．And it was．
Earthquake Strikes in Gap
The quake occurred in a region that Dr.Caputo called a seismic gap．A seismic gap is an area in an active earthquake region where no earthquake or seismic activity has been recorded in a long time．Seismic gaps are located where two large plates in the earth have become stuck．
When the plates slide past each other，they sometimes became locked in place．A similar thing happens when you make a running leap on a sidewalk while wearing sneakers．When you 1and on both feet，the sneakers grab onto rough surface．Friction tends to hold your feet back while the rest of your body goes forward．You may end up falling flat on your face．
In the case of plates，however，the uneven surfaces between the plates cause the plates to remain locked in place for years．Huge pressure builds up behind each plate．Periodically，a shudder，or tremor，is recorded as some of this energy is released．
Finally，after about 50 years，rock in the seismic gap either suddenly breaks or moves under the great stress．This sudden release of energy sends shock waves through the rock layers above．The ground shakes，sidewalks crack，and buildings tumble．A mighty quake has struck．
Gaps Used to Predict Quakes
Many geologists have used what is called the seismic gap technique to accurately predict earthquakes．The technique was first developed by Soviet earthquake expert Dr.V.Fodotov during his studies of ancient and recent Japanese earthquakes．Dr.Fodotov was marking the location，size，and date of all known quakes in Japan when he noticed a striking pattern．
All major earthquakes were found to occur in only a few isolated spots in Japan．Each of these spots，he noted，experienced a major quake only once every 50 to 60 years．Dr.Fodotov concluded that spots that hadn't had a quake in more than 50 years were “ripe” for a quake．The Russian scientist named these locations seismic gaps．
In the past several years，geologists from other countries have found seismic gaps in other parts of the world．After making detailed studies of past quakes in these regions，the geologists were able to make an accurate prediction of when a quake would occur．
How Do Animals Know When an Earthquake Is Coming？
Scientists who try to predict earthquakes have gotten some new helpers recently-animals．
That's right，animals．Scientists have begun to catch on to what farmers have known for thousands of years．Animals often seem to know in advance that an earthquake is coming，and they show their fear by acting in strange ways．Before a Chinese quake in1975，snakes awoke from their winter sleep early only to freeze to death in the cold air．Cows broke their
A．no prediction had been made
B．no correct prediction had been made
C．no one had predicted the precise date
D．no one had cared about Dr.Caputo's prediction
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