The Verdict of the l'Aquila Earthquake Trial Sends the Wrong Message

Rubble from a collapse house covered a car after the 2009 l'Aquila earthquake in Italy. Image: Alessandro Giangiulio / Flickr. By this time, many of you have seen the verdict for the people on trial over the 2009 l'Aquila earthquake. Judge Marco Billi sentenced the seven scientists, engineers and officials to 6 years in prison - 2 years more than the prosecution suggested - over the manslaughter charges stemming from the earthquake that killed over 300 people. The trial has been a flashpoint for geoscientists as many have seen it as a trial over the idea that geologists should be able to "predict" earthquakes. This is somewhat misleading as the prosecution was actually claiming the seven on trial were accused of "having carried out a superficial analysis of seismic risk and of having provided false reassurances to the public." This doesn't mean they got a "prediction" wrong, but rather that ...