Citation

Fan FT. Stud Hist Philos Sci 2018; 70: 58-69.

Affiliation

Department of History, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY 13902, USA. Electronic address: ffan@binghamton.edu.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Pergamon Press)

DOI

10.1016/j.shpsa.2018.05.009

PMID

30122254

Abstract

This paper examines the international research on abnormal animal behavior prior to earthquakes, with a focus on Chinese seismology during the Cultural Revolution. China experienced a series of powerful earthquakes in the 1960s and 1970s; in response, its scientists developed approaches to earthquake prediction, including the use of bio-sentinels. The paper demonstrates that Chinese seismology did not treat an earthquake simply as a geophysical event, but rather as an amalgam of environmental phenomena, including sensory experiences. Hence, distributive experience and sensory networks of humans and bio-sentinels constituted an important component of studying the environment. This historical case suggests insights into bio-monitoring of the global environment.

Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Animal behavior; Bio-sentinel; Earthquake; Observation; Prediction; Seismology