Overview
- Norway beat Iraq 4-1 after Erling Haaland scored twice in the first half of the match played on Tuesday, giving Norway its first World Cup goals since 1998.
- NORSAR confirmed its seismic station in Bergen recorded clear fluctuations that coincided with Haaland’s goals and said those largest signals lined up with the timing of the strikes.
- The institute attributed the readings to many people cheering and moving at once while watching the game in Bergen, rather than any tectonic event.
- The match’s midnight kickoff for Norway helped produce widespread, intense celebrations at home and the game finished with Leo Ostigard scoring in the 76th minute and an own goal by Aymen Hussein in stoppage time.
- Beyond the match result, the episode underlines how sensitive modern seismology is to human activity and suggests scientists must account for large crowds when interpreting small ground vibrations during major public events.