The cities that were once swamped by people are now empty. Highway traffic is at its minimum. And fewer and fewer people are taking to the streets.
Measures taken to combat the spread of coronavirus have made the world much quieter. Scientists also noticed this.
Seismologists are observing far less environmental seismic noise - hence the vibrations caused by cars, trains, buses and humans. In the absence of this noise, the earth's crust is moving less.
Thomas Lecocoq, a geologist and seismologist at the Royal Observatory in Belgium, observed this phenomenon in Brussels.
Brussels has suffered a 30% to 50% reduction in environmental seismic noise since mid-March when the government began implementing anti-pandemic measures.
This means that seismologists are capable of detecting smaller earthquakes. It also means that people are obeying the orders of their respective governments and staying at home.
If you feel lonely, seismological data proves that everyone is home and you are not the only lonely.
