Geologists Might Be Charged For Not Predicting Quake 375
mmmscience writes "In 2009, a series of small earthquakes shook the region of L'Aquila, Italy. Seismologists investigated the tremors, but concluded that there was no direct indication of a big quake on the horizon. Less than a month later, a magnitude 6.3 earthquake killed more than 300 people. Now, the chief prosecutor of L'Aquila is
looking to charge the scientists with gross negligent manslaughter for not predicting the quake."
Italy? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:way to drive (Score:5, Funny)
Re:way to drive (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Vice Versa (Score:3, Funny)
Quite, they never seem to be able to make their minds up. The slightest bit of evidence and it's all change. One moment it's Newtonian mechanics, and then Einstein comes along and it's all wrong.
P.S. 6,000 years.
Re:Send the weatherman to where the sun don't shin (Score:2, Funny)
Re:way to drive (Score:4, Funny)
The science of predicing earthquakes has so far bordered on Phernology. I don't mind a learning curve, even a 100 year one. But if they led people to believe that something was going to happen, and there were negative consequences because of it, they should be hung out to dry like the rest of us. Not for being wrong, but for basing a strong conclusion on incredibly flimsy ground.
/. - spreading natural disasters puns since 1997.
Good work! Now do that with economists too! (Score:2, Funny)
Jail those bankers and those economists who don't warn us before our shares start dropping or have us lose any of the money we've invested for that matter! [/sarcasm]
Re:Fine... as long as... (Score:4, Funny)
I'd rather use the scientists to come up with a better/easier/faster/more amusing way of getting rid of the politicians.
How much energy is stored in a politician anyways?
Maybe not quake... (Score:1, Funny)
Scientists could, however, accurately predict half-life.
Re:Vice Versa (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Fine... as long as... (Score:3, Funny)
On the other hand if you're thinking of releasing all of the kinetic energy stored in said politician's molecules.... Woah.
Re:Fine... as long as... (Score:3, Funny)
For purposes of this exercise, assume a perfectly spherical politician.