To keep us better aware of an upcoming earthquake, scientists are now trying a different method. It is commonly known how animals and birds behave differently ahead of a natural calamity. So why not give them the duty of giving us a signal before an earthquake. According to a report in National Geographic, a new system being brought into force, birds wearing tiny backpacks would be used.

Martin Wikelski, an ecologist at Germany's Max Planck Institute for Ornithology and a fellow of the National Geographic Society says that certain birds migrate in flocks, become active at unusual times and all ahead of such disaster.

He handles a satellite tracking project called International Cooperation for Animal Research Using Space (ICARUS). Birds would be fitted with lightweight electronic tags as backpack harnesses, leg bands, or even hats to monitor their activity patterns. A change in their behaviour could suggest something including an earthquake.

They have a network of volunteers across the world who have started tagging the animals with the devices. Wikelski calls them “wearables for wildlife” that will keep a tab on their movements and beam the data on to the International Space Station. In an upcoming spacewalk, Russian cosmonauts will install the ICARUS data-gathering hardware . Wikelski hopes their work helps in predicting disasters and thus informing the authorities to lessen the aftereffects.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 01, 2018 04:45 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).