What happened: When Japan’s big Noto Peninsula earthquake shook the ground on Jan 1, 2024, its power didn’t stop at Earth’s surface. It sent invisible "sound waves" 200+ miles UP into space! Why it matters: These waves hit the ionosphere (space layer full of electrical particles), causing ripples like a pond – and messing with satellites we use every day.
Scientists used Japan’s 4,500+ GPS receivers like a giant scanner to make the first 3D movie of earthquake waves in space. The surprise: Instead of neat circles (like a single splash), waves south of the quake were tilted – like a rock skipped across water. Old science models couldn’t explain this!