Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour concerts in Edinburgh, Scotland, recently made headlines for more than just their musical impact. The enthusiastic dancing of over 200,000 Swifties across three nights caused enough seismic activity to be registered as “ground shaking” by the British Geological Survey (BGS).
The BGS monitoring stations around Edinburgh recorded similar seismographic patterns across all three nights, with peaks of activity occurring during performances of “…Ready For It?,” “Cruel Summer,” and “champagne problems.” The most energetic dancing was observed on Friday, resulting in a maximum amplitude of motion of 23.4 nanometers.
The energy generated during “…Ready For It?” reached a peak of 160 beats per minute, transmitting approximately 80 kilowatts of power, equivalent to about 6,000 car batteries.
BGS seismologist Callum Harrison expressed his amazement at being able to measure the audience’s reaction through their data, highlighting the unique opportunity to explore seismic activity caused by a non-geological phenomenon.
This phenomenon is not new to Swift’s Eras Tour. In March, studies confirmed that her California and Washington concerts in 2023 also triggered seismic activity comparable to a 2.3 magnitude earthquake.
The Edinburgh concerts marked the first of 17 UK dates for Swift’s Eras Tour, which will conclude with an eight-night run at London’s Wembley Stadium.
