A pre-earthquake signal detection by the Eötvös torsion balance

An important goal of seismological research is to predict earthquakes, but despite efforts, short-term earthquake prediction has not yet been achieved. On 9 January 2022, our upgraded Eötvös torsion balance in Budapest, Hungary, detected predictive signals 32 minutes before the earthquake in Florina, Greece, 770 km away, that were not detected by seismometers. Our measurements, in agreement with previous observations in Kazakhstan (Vol’fson et al. 2011), suggest that torsion balances can be effective in detecting earthquake precursors from a considerable distance.