National Weather Services in Alabama was stumped last year after experiencing a skyquake. I'm Adam from Ripley's.com and this is your Weird Minute. Shrouded in mystery, yet extremely loud, skyquakes often sound like loud, distant rumbling, but with an unexplained source. These loud booms have been heard and felt throughout history, referred to as Rumbling Sea in Japan,
and Seneca guns in 18th century America. Using radar and satellites, NASA and the National Weather Service eliminated sonic booms, meteorites, thunder or earthquakes from being possible suspects. The Elgin Field Infrasound Array, 600 miles away in Canada, was actually able to record the sound of the Birmingham skyquake, thinking it to be an avalanche or rocket launch. Scientists have long offered other explanations for this phenomenon, but none have been proven.
Almost all skyquakes seem to happen near the coasts of very large lakes or the sea. Researchers think it could be caves collapsing underwater or huge bubbles of gas being expelled from the sea floor. For more unexplained mysteries and strange stories, visit ripleys.com. Rate the Weird Minute if you haven't already, and tune in tomorrow for another Minute of Odd.