Richard Allen

Features of UC Berkeley app MyShake are being implemented by Google, allowing earthquakes to be automatically detected with just a smartphone.

Former UC Berkeley employee Alik Lee filed a lawsuit March 28 against the UC Board of Regents and two of his supervisors alleging wrongful termination based on his race, sex and age.

The ShakeAlert system detects initial seismic P-waves, which are nondamaging, to allow BART to prepare for the damaging S-waves that follow. The system was described as a lifesaver by lawmakers and BART representatives in a press conference following Monday’s demonstration.

BART uses ShakeAlert to detect initial, nondamaging waves called P-waves. This allows the system to prepare for the stronger S-waves — which can cause major damage — and slow and stop trains.

Alik Lee, a former UC Berkeley employee, is cooperating with officials to investigate his termination Jan. 5, according to a statement released Tuesday.

A team of UC Berkeley researchers have created a mobile phone application to put earthquake detectors in pockets of smartphone users.

At a White House event Tuesday, Congress appropriated $8.2 million from the federal budget to improve the earthquake warning system ShakeAlert, designed at UC Berkeley.

With a 10-second warning before an earthquake hits, transportation systems could slow down, heavy machinery could be halted and medical operations could be paused — preventive measures that could potentially save lives.