Though the robot apocalypse is definitely incoming and many jobs are going to be wiped out by automation causing a kind of radical and horrifying social upheaval never before seen in the history of humanity, it’s still comforting to see a computer freak out and fuck up every once in a while.
Well, it was’t entirely the fault of an algorithm. There was good old human error involved as well. A staffer at Caltech activated an earthquake alert system, sending out a warning for a large, 6.1-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Santa Barbara in California, causing a number of news agencies – including the Los Angeles Times – to tweet out news of the supposed quake.
The only problem is that while the earthquake in question did happen, it happened in 1925. “That’s a mistake. It’s not real,” said Caltech seismologist Egill Hauksson. One of his staffers had tired to alter the exact location of that earthquake in the system records, which triggered whatever process causes the United States Geological Service to send out an alert.
People did note that it was kinda weird considering no one felt it.
@DrLucyJones M6.8 90 miles away Im sure we’d feel it right? Is this real? pic.twitter.com/OX1MzcgFrC
— Alex S (@alxxdes) June 22, 2017
The USGS clarified the error on Twitter.
Regarding: https://t.co/z8Ykmo6OXX pic.twitter.com/68Q0I2Ix2j
— USGS (@USGS) June 22, 2017
Computer. Says. No.
Source: LA Times.
