http://www.boston.com/news/world/europe/2012/10/23/experts-convicted-for-not-warning-quake-risk/1n2UpsDq5Mp0pvx5kwV31N/story.html

http://www.keprtv.com/news/national/7-scientists-convicted-for-failing-to-warn-of-Italy-quake-175252171.html


I know that I am oblivious, that i'm stupid, ignorant, and what not, however, I swear that earthquakes, as far as I know, are hard to predict if not "the" hardest thing to predict. We can't look at the ground and say "Hey an Earthquake is coming" then protect ourselves.

Earthquake info Links

http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/earthq1/predict.html

http://www.pdc.org/iweb/earthquakes-prediction.jsp?subg=1

Thought witch hunts went the way of the dinosaur, doodoo, and the pet rock. Hope this is only an isolated incident and these so-called "scientist trials" don't start popping up more and more because governments need their scapegoats.

Pretty sad. I sure don't want scientists getting afraid of working in their field due to bogus sentences such as that one. I have a feeling if they reported an upcoming disaster every time such tremors came and there were too many false alarms they'd have gotten into trouble too.

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Yeah, can't see anything good coming out of this. Eartquake prediction isn't exactly exact science, as far as i know. Sure many people lost their lives, but can you really sentence people for mispredicting it's strentgh?

A similar thing nearly happened here in Brisbane, Australia......dam operators who were only following guidelines had to fight criminal charges after the Brisbane floods in 2011. Aka, after 10 years of draught they apparently were supposed to have the foresight to release water from the Dam before the freak weather system hit.


After an event, people are always looknig to lay blame.....where its justified or not.

That's what went through my mind too. Criminal negligence is one thing, but this is just silly and rather disturbing.

These guys better get off, this seems rediculous.

I mean we still have trouble with meteorology.

Manslaughter?

This is pathetic.

This just seems unreasonable. I've always considered becoming a meteorologist, but this is unreasonable. I guess I'm not so sure now.

Just don't become one in Italy.

I would have figured with would only happen in highly superstitous countries.

Horrific. What a bloody idiot that judge must be.

I love our species.