Telltale research findings might help detect disasters

Avalanches are rare but slips and landslides in Australia occur in coastal and mountainous regions. (Diego Fedele/AAP PHOTOS)

It's not quite like the iconic sands through the hourglass but Australian scientists have discovered a way to "view" particle movement they hope will help predict the occurrence of avalanches and landslides.

Sneaky swirls and loops in materials including soil and snow could influence their motion below the surface, according to University of Sydney geomechanics expert Itai Einav.