Thursday, September 27, 2012

Attention Prognosticators: "Italian Prosecutors Target Scientists Who Failed To Predict the Future"

We've been following this story for the last couple years, links below.
From the Telegraph:
'Scientists should get four years for failing to predict L'Aquila earthquake'
Prosecutors in Italy have called for a group of scientists to be sent to prison for four years each for allegedly failing to give adequate warning of the L'Aquila earthquake in 2009 that killed 309 people and injured hundreds more. 
The trial of the seven experts has proved immensely controversial, with the international scientific community saying that earthquakes cannot be predicted and that the experts are being made scapegoats for an unforeseen natural disaster.
But critics say that by downplaying the risks, they consigned hundreds of people to their deaths when the quake struck at 3.32am on April 6, 2009, reducing centuries-old buildings as well as modern apartment blocks to dust.
In calling for the jail sentences, prosecutors accused the experts of offering "an incomplete, inept, unsuitable and criminally mistaken analysis" of the dozens of tremors which rattled the mountain city in the days before the massive quake....MORE
Sounds like a few analysts I've known.
HT: Reason's Hit&Run blog.

Previously:
Attention Prognosticators: "Italian scientists charged with manslaughter for failing to predict earthquake"
Attention Market Pontificators: Witches to be Fined, Jailed if Predictions Don't Pan Out
Market Prognosticators Rejoice! Federal Judge Strikes Down Anti-Fortunetelling Law