Six Seismologists in Italy convicted of manslaughter

[blackcatotaku]

I was listening to my daily insertion of NPR; I am a huge proponent of global news and I feel this story is one that is shocking. Six Italian seismologists were convicted of manslaughter under the charges that they failed to adequately warn the public of the threat.  The earthquake that ensued caused 300 deaths across the Italian Peninsula. Is it really the fault of the scientific community if a natural disaster strikes and kills people within their region? I would think not any cautious individual would try to err on the side of caution I would hope rather than stirring up controversy. I thought I would throw this topic out here to see what others thought of the incident I researched a  bit from NPR and Forbes magazines online but they did not offer many details only opinions that they also thought this was a negative precedent to sent for the scientific community.

[Callie Del Noire]

Seems to me.. they report that 'there is not a high expectation of earthquakes' isn't the same as the public offical taking it as 'no earthquakes here'. The scientists shouldn't have had a kangaroo court turn it on them. If anyone should be pulled into court it's the officals who interpreted 'unlikely' as 'no chance.'

[Avis habilis]

The whole business is medieval in its ignorance. You can't predict earthquakes, full stop. This is on a par with the two Chinese imperial court astronomers who were put to death for failing to predict an eclipse.

[Beguile's Mistress]

http://www.npr.org/2012/10/23/163499530/italian-seismologists-convicted-of-manslaughter

According to the transcript of this conversation it appears that an individual came up with an accurate prediction of an earthquake in a region that has seen quite a bit of seismic activity.  It also appears that the steps taken to reassure the public before the earthquake were seen as wither inadequate or misleading and that is the reason the seismologists were charged.

Each event is unique in situations like this but I don't think scientists should be held accountable unless the ability to predict something scientifically is available and those factors are ignored.

[Callie Del Noire]

http://www.npr.org/2012/10/23/163499530/italian-seismologists-convicted-of-manslaughter

According to the transcript of this conversation it appears that an individual came up with an accurate prediction of an earthquake in a region that has seen quite a bit of seismic activity.  It also appears that the steps taken to reassure the public before the earthquake were seen as wither inadequate or misleading and that is the reason the seismologists were charged.

Each event is unique in situations like this but I don't think scientists should be held accountable unless the ability to predict something scientifically is available and those factors are ignored.

From the way I read the article was that these men said 'It could happen but it's like a 1% chance' or such. The public officals wanted to counter the preditions of another man who was making waves and starting a panic.

That being said.. I think the presentation in the media might have had a LOT to do with how their words were interpretted. That ISN'T covered in any of the articles that I've read. Of course in the end I think it's unfair that they got sentenced but I have to wonder what was said in their press release/statements..

[Cyrano Johnson]

Whole business is so patently absurd -- the comparison to executing astronomers for failing to predict an eclipse is right on -- that it's hard to know what more to say about it.

So, here's a tasteless Horatio Caine joke instead:

TONIGHT, ON CSI: L'AQUILA:

FRANCISCO: Horatio, there've got to be hundreds of people dead here! But it can't be! Those seismologists said...

HORATIO: Yes, Francisco, it looks like it's time to go ask our scientist friends if the earth... *puts on sunglasses* moved for them too.



YYYYYYEEEEEAHHHHHHHHH!

[Shjade]

In other news, Channel 6 weatherman Sum Gai charged with 300 counts of vandalism for failing to adequately warn the population of Los Angeles about an uncharacteristic hailstorm over the city, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages as the falling ice caused innumerable dents and scratches on Ferraris and Porsches across the area.

Sentences to be served concurrently if convicted.