The Unbelievable Impact of Taylor Swift's Fans: Earthquakes can't resist their power!

Taylor Swift's fan base is known for their unparalleled dedication, so much so that they have been able to generate minor earthquakes according to seismologist Jackie Caplan-Auerbach. During the Eras Tour in Seattle, Swifties caused seismic activity equivalent to a 2.3 magnitude earthquake. Caplan-Auerbach, a geology professor at Western Washington University, collected 10 hours of data from the moment the doors opened until well after the audience had left, and visually plotted the results.

Caplan-Auerbach conducted an investigation prompted by a Facebook post that compared the concerts to a 2011 Seattle Seahawks game, famously marked by fans causing ground-shaking after a Marshawn Lynch touchdown, known as the Beast Quake. According to Caplan-Auerbach, the shaking experienced during the concerts was twice as powerful as the Beast Quake, with potential causes being the sound system and the collective dancing of tens of thousands of fans. Unlike the cheering after a touchdown, which lasts for a few seconds and eventually subsides, the shaking during the concerts was more random and sustained.

Taylor Swift performs during ‘The Eras Tour’ concert at Allegiant Stadium on March 24, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Casey Flanigan/imageSPACE/Shutterstock

Mouse Reusch, a seismologist, utilized the data to create a sonogram in order to identify the songs that evoked the loudest reaction from the audience. Unsurprisingly, one of her students discovered that the songs "Shake It Off" and "Blank Space," which were megahits, garnered the most enthusiastic response.

On Saturday, July 22, and Sunday, July 23, Swift, aged 33, performed at Seattle's Lumen Field. The Saturday show set a new record for the largest concert crowd at the venue, with 72,171 fans present according to Swift's team. (The previous record was held by U2, who attracted over 70,000 fans in 2011.)

Just before the Swift Quake became newsworthy, Swift expressed gratitude to her fans in Seattle for their unforgettable enthusiasm. On Monday, July 24, she wrote via Instagram, "Seattle, that was truly one of the best weekends I've ever had. Thank you for everything – the cheers, screams, jumps, dances, and singing at the top of your lungs."

The Swift Quake is merely the most recent notable event to occur during the Eras Tour, which commenced in Arizona in March. Last month, Swift had an unexpected encounter with a bug while performing.

She playfully remarked that the unexpected treat was "delightful" and then humorously inquired, "Did any of you miss that amusing incident?" Pressing on, she added, "No worries—I've already consumed it. Well, I'll attempt to avoid such mishaps in the future. This might occur once more tonight, considering the abundance of bugs. Anyhow, I've had a good time."