Communicating Risk

It's the fourth anniversary of the earthquake which devastated the city of L'Aquila in Italy and which led to the conviction of six scientists and an official who failed to predict the disaster. Scientists and statisticians worldwide were alarmed at the six-year sentences for manslaughter the seven accused received. It was feared the prospect of being put on trial would put off scientists from even trying to communicate risk – a very difficult business. But, as reporter Dany Mitzman in Italy discovers, the risk assessors’ pendulum seems to have swung the other way. Data and alarms about tremors are being issued regularly, triggering school closures and building evacuations. But how useful is this information? Ian Main, professor of seismology and rock physics at Edinburgh University in the UK, puts the risks into context.

Presenter and producer: Ruth Alexander