Early detection of earthquakes could be vastly improved by tapping into the world’s internet network with a groundbreaking new algorithm, researchers say.

Fiber optic cables used for cable television, telephone systems and the global web matrix now have the potential to help measure seismic rumblings thanks to recent technological advances, but harnessing this breakthrough has proved problematic.

A new paper published today in Geophysical Journal International seeks to address these challenges by adapting a simple physics-based algorithm to include fiber optic data that can then be used hand-in-hand with traditional seismometer measurements.