When an earthquake is about to strike, any advanced notice is helpful, even if it's just 20 seconds. The new earthquake warning system by NTT in Japan is designed to do just that, sensing an earthquake's initial primary waves and notifying nearby residents before the slower, and more damaging, secondary waves strike. It gives people just enough time to hide under the dining room table or run around in circles screaming in terror. Between this and the tsunami warning system, people should have enough notice before terrible natural disasters to know what's coming, yet not nearly enough time to evacuate. With this system it's especially true, as if you live at the epicenter of the quake you'll barely get any notice at all. Oh, cruel technology! I guess it's better than nothing. It looks like the service is available now in Japan, where earthquakes are a more common problem than they are in most of America. — Adam Frucci

Asahi Shimbun, via Pink Tentacle