On a lighter note, Greece’s Geodynamic Institute of the National Observatory of Athens took the opportunity of Metallica’s concert at the Olympic Stadium (OAKA) to investigate whether tens of thousands of headbanging fans could generate measurable seismic tremors. The institute set up live seismograph monitoring, citing the growing scientific interest in so-called “concert quakes” — weak seismic vibrations caused by the synchronized movement of large crowds.
Similar phenomena have been documented at major international concerts in recent years, and the Metallica show presented what the institute called “a unique opportunity” to study the effect in Greece. Whether or not the band’s legendary riffs registered on the Richter scale, the experiment is a delightful reminder that science and rock ‘n’ roll are not mutually exclusive.
