Every time Norway scores in the World Cup, Bergen trembles

city Bergen, Norway, shake On the night of June 22-23, it was not due to an earthquake or an unknown geological phenomenon. But because the Norwegian team scored a goal during World Cup 2026. This strange phenomenon was reported by a team of researchers from the University of Bergen, who found that pinwheel ceremonies produce vibrations in the ground so intense that they can be detected even by highly sensitive scientific instruments such as seismometers.

In general, geophysicists use seismometers to measure ground movements and vibrations such as seismic waves generated by earthquakes. But during this year’s World Cup, researchers at the University of Bergen did just that I noticed That the seismometer they have in the basement of the campus records abnormal signals during Norway matches. They point out that the tool is able to detect ground vibrations with an accuracy of up to a millionth of a millimeter.

activity, said professors Mathilde Sorensen and Lars Ottemüller statement “Their findings show that Bergen is a vibrant city with a lot of energy.” They concluded the statement with the words, “Go to Bergen and go to Norway.”

The University of Bergen team first noticed these abnormalities during the Norwegian national team’s match against Iraq on June 17, which the team won 4-1. During that match the signal became particularly clear to the striker Erling Haaland He scored one of his goals.

A few days later, on the night of June 22-23, during Norway’s 3-2 win over Senegal, the phenomenon was repeated: every Norwegian goal produced recognizable vibrations in the data collected by the seismometer.

As the researchers explained, when thousands of people cheer, jump and scream simultaneously, they generate a great deal of energy. energy That can be transmitted through buildings to the ground. In other words, mass enthusiasm became scientifically measurable in Bergen during this year’s World Cup, and although this is not the first time that sporting events have been detected — as well as concerts or other large gatherings — the case of the city of Bergen represents another example of how human activity can be recorded even by instruments designed to study the Earth.

This story originally appeared on Wired Italy It was translated from Italian.