Many social media users in Venezuela have reported receiving alerts on Android smartphones moments before Wednesday’s quake that left over 900 confirmed dead. Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS both include the option to display government alerts for emergencies like earthquakes. But the search giant last year also detailed its system that uses the billions of Android smartphones worldwide to detect earthquakes in the first place. How it works Almost all smartphones contain an accelerometer, a movement sensor used for tasks like flipping the screen when users turn it sideways. That same sensor “can also detect the ground shaking from an earthquake,” Google wrote in a July 2025 blog post. Accelerometers can spot potential earthquakes’ fast-moving initial “P” wave, sending information about the tremor to a Google server. By rapidly cross-referencing many such reports, the system can “confirm that an earthquake is happening and estimate its location and magnitude,” Google said. “Th...
Iranians woke early on Saturday to watch the men’s national football team face Egypt, riding an emotional rollercoaster as Iran fought back to draw but missed the chance to directly qualify for the World Cup’s last 32. But all is not lost for Team Melli after the 1-1 draw . Depending on the results in other groups, the Iranians could still reach the knockout stage for the first time in their history. Iran had a troubled buildup to the World Cup due to the war in the Middle East, which broke out in late February with US-Israeli strikes on Tehran. The team has also faced the strain of considerable visa and travel restrictions in the United States, which is co-hosting the 2026 tournament with Mexico and Canada. “It was a good game, even though they were unable to prepare properly,” said Iranian football fan Amin. “I wish they’d played the whole game like the last five minutes,” when Iran was on the attack, the 33-year-old car dealer told AFP . Fans in...