80 tons of explosives were detonated in the Negev on Wednesday to simulate an earthquake registering 3 on the Richter scale. Officials in the Ministry of National Infrastructure labeled the controlled blast a success, stating the quake was detected by equipment stationed around the country.

The test measured the speed of sound waves in the atmosphere, with researchers working to understand what exactly happens to the sound waves following such a blast.

The controlled explosion was funded by the US Defense Department as part of a joint project involving both countries.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)