KQED reports: Pieces Finally Falling Into Place for Earthquake Warnings in California

We still can’t predict them, but data is faster than seismic waves, so we can give people away from the epicenter a few seconds of warning.

That’s enough to pull your car over, put down a scalpel, climb down from a ladder, get away from a rickety building or under a sturdy desk, etc. The tech is credited with saving lives in last fall’s Mexico City earthquake.