Should seismologists be at fault for a fault?

[Nate]

Earthquake prediction can be a grave, and faulty science, and in the case of Italian seismologists who are being tried for the manslaughter of the people who died in the 2009 L'Aquila quake, it can have legal consequences.

The group of seven, including six seismologists and a government official, reportedly didn't alert the public ahead of time of the risk of the L'Aquila earthquake, which occurred on April 6 of that year, killing around 300 people, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

But most scientists would agree it's not their fault they couldn't predict the wrath of Mother Nature.

"We're not able to predict earthquakes very well at all," John Vidale, a Washington State seismologist and professor at the University of Washington, told LiveScience.

Even though advances have been made, the day scientists are able to forecast earthquakes is still "far away," Dimitar Ouzounov, a professor of earth sciences at Chapman University in California, said this month regarding the prediction of the March 11 earthquake in Japan.

Seismologists tried for manslaughter over quake - Technology & science - Science - LiveScience - msnbc.com

Wow, what the hell is the Italian judicial system thinking!?! If this ignorant trial actually ends with the seismologists being convicted, it'll make this field grind to a halt...

 

[zzzz]

Someone, a mortal, has to be held accountable.

 

[Old Rocks]

Earthquake prediction can be a grave, and faulty science, and in the case of Italian seismologists who are being tried for the manslaughter of the people who died in the 2009 L'Aquila quake, it can have legal consequences.

The group of seven, including six seismologists and a government official, reportedly didn't alert the public ahead of time of the risk of the L'Aquila earthquake, which occurred on April 6 of that year, killing around 300 people, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

But most scientists would agree it's not their fault they couldn't predict the wrath of Mother Nature.

"We're not able to predict earthquakes very well at all," John Vidale, a Washington State seismologist and professor at the University of Washington, told LiveScience.

Even though advances have been made, the day scientists are able to forecast earthquakes is still "far away," Dimitar Ouzounov, a professor of earth sciences at Chapman University in California, said this month regarding the prediction of the March 11 earthquake in Japan.

Seismologists tried for manslaughter over quake - Technology & science - Science - LiveScience - msnbc.com

Wow, what the hell is the Italian judicial system thinking!?! If this ignorant trial actually ends with the seismologists being convicted, it'll make this field grind to a halt...

With this as a precedent, the 'Conservatives' here will be all for prosecuting all climate scientists when their predictions come true.