Powerful and unexpected natural events such as earthquakes and tsunamis can erase entire communities in seconds. In a world plagued by inequality, regions at risk are not always the best prepared to protect their populations from disaster.

To help them face such calamities, CERN is developing the Compact Precision Laser Inclinometer (CPLI), an extremely sophisticated early-warning system for seismic events that will completely change civil protection strategies to protect communities and reduce direct losses.

A gift to the CERN & Society Foundation in this festive season is a gesture that could save a life from the destruction of earthquakes. You can donate now on the Foundation’s website.

Further development of the CPLI technology is currently limited by a lack of funds. With external support from donors, the CPLI technology will:

• be improved in terms of reliability and availability, allowing wider deployment, at a reasonable cost, in remote and underdeveloped areas; CERN is committed to making the technology available worldwide to help all communities in need;

• be paired with increased processing power and software, which will allow online measurements and data processing with artificial intelligence techniques, a vital tool for early-alert systems.

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The Compact Precision Laser Inclinometer is the first technology selected under the CERN Technology Impact Fund, a new framework to support CERN technologies with strong potential to address existing global societal issues as identified by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).