How can an eruption on the other side of the planet cause a “year without a summer”? Why does an apparently small earthquake devastate a city while a larger one goes almost unnoticed? The answer is not always in magnitude of the phenomenon, but in the place where it occurs, in the number of people exposed and in how the risk is managed. Understanding it is not just a scientific question: it is a way of looking at the planet with different eyes.
‘Science and aside’ It is the space where we talk about science with experts. It is part of our YouTube channel and is also available as a podcast on Spotify and iVoox. In her fourth episode, Ángela Blanco interviews Rosa María Mateosgeologist and director of the Geological and Mining Institute of Spain (IGME-CSIC), a reference voice in the study of natural disasters. With decades of experience and a doctorate focused on this field, his vision helps us understand what is happening on Earth.
When science faces the fury of the planet
The conversation starts with a seemingly simple question: what is the most damaging natural disaster? The interviewee responds calmly: “It depends where you are and where you live.“In his explanation there are no hierarchies between volcanoes, earthquakes or tsunamis, but nuances. “Living in the Canary Islands, which has a high probability of a volcanic eruption, is not the same as living in Madrid, where the probability is zero.” The danger changes with the map, and understanding it requires looking at the geology of each place before its history.
“Among the great episodes that marked the history of the Earth, Rosa cites one that was on the verge of erasing our species from the map. “We are talking about 74,000 years ago, which probably was on the verge of ending the Homo sapienswith our species.” It refers to the eruption of the Toba volcano, a megaeruption in Indonesia.
Rosa explains that not all earthquakes are measured the same and that their magnitude can be misleading if you do not understand how it is calculated. “The magnitude of the earthquakes It is measured on a logarithmic scaleto. This means that an earthquake of magnitude four is not twice as strong as one of magnitude two.” The difference, he clarifies, is exponential: each point on the scale multiplies the energy released, and that is enough to turn an earthquake into a colossal force. Some historical episodes demonstrate this better than any graph.
Rosa remembers the Lisbon earthquake of 1755 not only for its magnitude, but for what it represented for science. “The waves reached the coasts of Finland.” The phrase summarizes the scope of a phenomenon that destroyed the Portuguese capital and left traces throughout the Atlantic. From that disaster a different way of thinking was born.
To understand why some catastrophes are devastating and others are barely mentioned, the expert introduces an essential distinction. “We geologists talk about two very different concepts that we often confuse. One is the danger… and another thing is the risk.“In the video he explains what each one consists of, their scope and also the consequences of confusing the terms.
The conversation with Rosa María Mateos shows that natural phenomena cannot be avoided, but their effects can be reduced. In this episode of Science and apartthe geologist explains how observation and knowledge help to anticipate risks and live better with them. A talk that leaves open the door to continue learning about the planet we inhabit.
Images | Xataka
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