8legs: Bedretto underground laboratory

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Scientists Are Setting Off Earthquakes. On Purpose.

FEAR aims to induce tiny earthquakes along a natural fault in the BedrettoLab to study initiation and propagation.
Researchers use hydraulic injection to simulate earthquakes in a controlled environment at BedrettoLab.
FEAR-1 in late 2024 involved 14 injections and about 9,000 seismic events near the fault.
Sensors near the fault provide near-field data to understand how quakes start and stop.
Safety measures and containment are central to conducting experiments without real damage.
FEAR researchers aim to translate lab findings into understanding and preventing larger seismic events.
BedrettoLab is a former railway-side tunnel repurposed for geothermal research.
The team plans to raise earthquake magnitudes in future tests to gain broader insights.
Researchers quote scientists from ETH Zurich and partners about advancing earthquake science.
The project connects to broader energy concerns, like hydraulic injection in fracking and geothermal energy.

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