Dr. Jerôme Azzola with a group of students

On the Trail of the Earth's Pulse: An Advanced Geography Course Explores Seismic Waves

03.07.2025 | Sustainability

In October 2023, Daimler Truck, EnBW and the city of Wörth am Rhein founded the joint venture WärmeWerk Wörth GmbH to explore the possibilities of a CO2-neutral energy supply for the Mercedes-Benz plant in Wörth and the city of Wörth am Rhein using geothermal energy. The project is accompanied by scientific support – and a central concern is to involve the local public and provide them with the best possible information. A school project starts right here and awakens curiosity and the spirit of research among young people.

Although the world beneath us may seem rigid and motionless at first glance, it is in constant motion. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and even the splitting of entire continents reveal that our planet is anything but sluggish and is subject to continuous change. The messengers of these geological transformations? Seismic waves. They provide researchers with valuable information about the Earth’s interior. Now, students at the Carl-Benz Comprehensive School in Wörth have the opportunity to try themselves as young researchers by exploring the hidden world beneath their school grounds.

A Workshop with Depth

The geothermal plant planned by Daimler Truck, EnBW and the city of Wörth, which is set to supply their city with sustainable energy in the future, has sparked broad interest among the students. After all, what the students are dealing with here on a small scale could soon help drive the decarbonization of the entire region. But one thing is certain: such a significant project can only succeed through collaboration — working together with the local community.
 

The multi-week workshop developed by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) has been taking place at the Carl-Benz Comprehensive School since May 27th, in cooperation with WärmeWerk Wörth. The two lead scientists, Dr. Judith Bremer and Dr. Jerôme Azzola, combine science, technology, and education in the workshop by enabling students to listen to the depths of our planet using innovative seismographs. In addition to an introduction to the world of seismology, the project also raises students’ awareness of the impact of human activities on the ground vibrations recorded by these seismographs: everyday activities such as construction work or events leave clearly visible traces.

Dr. Judith Bremer led the workshop together with her colleague Dr. Jerôme Azzola

Nothing Beats a Little Competition

One group decides to use the teachers’ copy room


What would a school project be without a bit of competitive spirit? The students are divided by their geography teacher, Andrea Huber, into four groups, with two groups assigned the same task each. The goal is to find either the location with the most or the least ground vibrations on the school grounds. The two groups whose seismographs record the better results after the data collection period win the competition.

Motivated and brimming with creative ideas, the students roam the schoolyard. Who will find the best spot? One group, which I accompany, has to find the place with the most vibrations on the school grounds. “Where is it busiest?” one student asks the other three. “I’d say the art room!” But the school cafeteria and the gym are also hotly debated. In the end, we end up in the teachers’ copy room. Everyone agreed: “It’s used a lot — especially for parents’ letters.” Meanwhile, another group heads one floor down. A look into the abandoned basement rooms beneath the school is enough for the students. They are convinced the other group won’t find a quieter spot.

Hands-On Science Instead of Lectures

Hands-On Science

“The project is very diverse,” Andrea Huber shares during a conversation. “As a school, we usually don’t have the resources to carry out a project like this. You can tell that the students enjoy it more than regular classes.” This becomes evident throughout the entire workshop. Conversations with the students confirm that impression as well. “What I like most about the project is how closely it’s connected to real-world practice, especially with the planned geothermal plant here in Wörth,” one student says.

A Strong Collaboration of Regional Forces

The principal of the Carl-Benz Comprehensive School, Jörg Engel, also praised the project and explicitly thanked Daimler Truck, EnBW, and KIT for their hands-on approach to teaching. “It’s a great collaboration of local forces — and that’s exactly what schools need!” Whether the copy room will ultimately turn out to be the noisiest spot remains unclear. But no matter which two groups win the competition in the end: everyone goes home with new knowledge — and perhaps also with the feeling that the ground beneath us is more alive than initially assumed.

More information about the WärmeWerk Wörth can be found here: wärmewerkwörth.de (only in German)

SUSTAINABILITY AT DAIMLER TRUCK

Sustainability is an integral part of our core business and our business activities. We want to decarbonize transportation and passenger transportation and drive the industry-wide transformation. In this way, we act and assume responsibility for the benefit of the environment as well as people and society – on the basis of responsible corporate governance. 

To achieve this, we focus on three areas of sustainability: Planet, People and Performance 

  • Planet: We are committed to the Paris Climate Agreement. We want to make sustainable transportation and passenger transport a success and thus contribute to climate and environmental protection. 
  • People: We take responsibility towards society and our employees. Where we can make a contribution to change something for the better, we do it. 
  • Performance: We envisage that business performance, unlocking profit potentials and sustainability initiatives go hand in hand, so that our responsibility for people and the planet are integrated into our core business. 
     

Please find more information on sustainabilty at Daimler Truck here: Sustainability | Daimler Truck.