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The planet we call home unfortunately comes with a whole host of natural hazards. Come along to Safari Lounge at 7pm on May 24th for an evening hosted by Dr Bunhead, to learn volcano fact from fiction, and whether predicting earthquakes is really possible. Please note this event will be held in the basement function room and so has limited accessibility for those with impaired mobility. Pint of Science Edinburgh is supported by an Innovation Initiative Grant from the Edinburgh Fund at the University of Edinburgh.
Volcanoes: the truth behind the blockbusters
Picture a volcano disaster movie: the ground cracks beneath the hero’s feet, lava pours out as they barely manage to jump to safety, all whilst a volcanic cloud turns the sky black and rains rocks. But what is the basis for these films and does this really happen during a volcanic eruption? Here I will explore the different phenomena that can occur during volcanic eruptions, using ancient and some more recent examples. I will discuss their effects on nearby populations, and highlight some unexpected outcomes.
Earthquakes: predicting the unpredictable?
Earthquake prediction has long been one of the ‘holy grails’ of scientific research. We would love to give reliable warning of the location, time and magnitude of a future event to justify an evacuation event. Unfortunately, most earthquakes strike without warning, even at densely monitored locations, and laboratory tests can't always be scaled up. Yet recent research has quantified the long term or average hazard that can be used to safely design, plan and construct buildings. After all, earthquakes don’t kill people – buildings do.
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