They arise from the political processes dictating where and what we build, and from social circumstances which create and perpetuate poverty and discrimination. We put ourselves in harm’s way; we fail to take measures which we know would prevent disasters, no matter what the environment does. The Geological Society of London is the UK's national society for geoscience, providing support to over 12,000 members in the UK and overseas.

We put ourselves in harm's way; we fail to take measures which we know would prevent disasters, no matter what the environment does. In ‘Firmament’, atmospheric scientist and science communicator Simon Clark offers a rare and accessible tour of the ins and outs of the atmosphere and how we know what we know about it. He looks at the burgeoning immune therapies that could one day cure such life-threatening diseases as cancer.Games can help change our psychology about disasters, creating confidence that we can and should prevent them. Information about the Geological Society’s internationally acclaimed books and journals for authors, editors, librarians and readers. Damming Finland’s River Kemi wrecked livelihoods and people-land connections, exemplifying mental health impacts from human-caused environmental change. This book explores stories of some of our worst disasters to show how we can and should act to stop people dying when nature unleashes its energies.

In a story that resonates with the moorland fires in England, three people in July 2016 chose to camp in the woodlands around Nederland, Colorado, and did not properly extinguish their barbeque. Disaster by Choice really brings the examples and recommendations down to our daily lives and practices to make them more impactful. But we can combat this, as Kelman shows, describing inspiring examples of effective human action that limits damage, such as managing flooding in Toronto and villages in Bangladesh, or wildfires in Colorado. The enigmas Professor Michael Dine discusses are like landmarks on a fantastic journey to the edge of the universe.Disaster by Choice demonstrates in a vivid and engaging way why big issues like the current climate crisis, where people are starting to accept that their actions can contribute to a collective result on a global scale, are just the tip of the iceberg. Discover and access geoscience information resources via one of the world’s premier Earth science libraries. Disasters arise when we fail to build suitable housing capable of withstanding 400 kph winds, fail to shun places subject to lava flows or tsunamis, or do not create a culture of warning and safe shelter for all – including for those with disabilities. Ilan Kelman is Professor of Disasters and Health at University College London, England and a Professor II at the University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway. However, eight houses within the burnt area were participating in the Wildfire Partners programme of mitigation measures.

We feel the need to fight natural forces, to reclaim what weassume is ours, and to protect ourselves from what we perceive to be wrath from outside our communities. This attitude distracts us from the real causes of disasters: humanity’s decisions, as societies and as individuals. I am typing this review in the aftermath of property-damaging floods in the UK and life-taking wildfires in Australia, and during the Covid-19 pandemic.He explores the science – and ethics – of genetic engineering and its potential to create ‘designer babies’. Floods, fires and viruses are just three of a panoply of natural hazards that includes earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis and many others. Find out about the benefits of membership, and how we can help you achieve and maintain Chartered status. The disaster is not the tornado, the volcanic eruption, or climate change, but the deaths and injuries, the loss of irreplaceable property, and the lack and even denial of support to affected people, so that a short-term interruption becomes a long-term recovery nightmare.