Author: Kyle Plantz / Source: Science News
The Big Ones
Lucy Jones
Doubleday, $26.
95
People call Lucy Jones the “earthquake lady.” For nearly 40 years, Jones, a seismologist, has been a leading voice in California on earthquake science and safety. A few months after retiring from the U.S. Geological Survey in 2016, she founded the Dr. Lucy Jones Center for Science and Society to bring policy makers and scientists together to discuss disaster resilience.
Now Jones is bringing that discussion to the public in her new book, The Big Ones. She offers a fascinating history of how catastrophic natural events — including the Lisbon earthquake of 1755, Iceland’s Laki volcanic eruption in 1783 (SN: 2/17/15, p. 29) and Hurricane Katrina in 2005 — have shaped politics, culture and society. Science News talked with Jones about the book, which she hopes will be a wake-up call, encouraging people to be ready for when, not if, the next disaster strikes. The discussion that follows has been edited for length and clarity.
Educate yourself. Find out what risks your community faces and prioritize preparing for the disasters most likely to strike.
Don’t assume the government has you covered. Do your own homework. Consult, for instance, a structural engineer to find out what you can do to make your home or workplace safer.
Engage with local leaders. Tell elected officials that you care about taking action before a disaster hits, such as investing in safe infrastructure and preserving natural floodplains. Stronger building codes, for instance, will up the odds that structures will remain standing after an earthquake.
Why is now the time to write about the science behind natural disasters and the stories of people affected?
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