The keyword of the fourteenth edition of the Festival is signs: from those of earthquakes, to those of the precursors of volcanic eruptions and global change. This and more will be presented by INGV experts in Genoa from 27 October to 6 November for the 2016 Science Festival
Rich program of appointments of the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) in Genoa for the Science Festival, from 27 October to 6 November. 11 days to talk about science and approach scientific disciplines. An opportunity to touch science in an effective and fun way to stimulate everyone's interest. The keyword of this fourteenth edition is signs. Science studies the signs that man recognizes in nature, but science too is often written with the signs of an appropriate language invented by man. A key word that has inspired the many initiatives of INGV.
From 27 October to 6 November, The earthquake in signs, from the Amatrice earthquake to the culture of prevention, interactive exhibition set up at the Church of Sant'Agostino. An earthquake is an instantaneous phenomenon that leaves deep, evident and permanent marks: in the geology, in the landscape, in the damaged buildings, in the infrastructures, in the collective memory. The exhibition is dedicated to the signs of the earthquake and the lessons we should draw from them to ensure a better coexistence with this dangerous natural phenomenon. The exhibition aims to frame and describe the phenomenon in its global dimension. After dealing with the issue of seismic danger in Italy, with an in-depth analysis of Liguria, attention is shifted to a specific event, the catastrophic earthquake that hit Amatrice and the central Apennines last August 24th. The exhibition itinerary traces the steps of seismological research, from seismic monitoring of the territory to the fundamental mechanisms that regulate the occurrence of earthquakes; defines concepts of seismic hazard and risk and finally explains how the results of the research carried out by INGV allow construction legislation to be always up to date. The exhibition also reviews the construction techniques and seismic improvement interventions through which citizens and institutions can increase the resilience of their homes and historic and monumental buildings. In Italy, even today, the "seismic culture" is insufficient both in terms of knowledge of the earthquake phenomenon and in terms of awareness of the risk to which each of us is exposed. The exhibition aims to increase this culture in visitors.(http://www.festivalscienza.it/site/home/programma/eventi-per-tipo/mostre/il-terremoto-in...-segni.html).
On 30 October, at 15,00 pm in the Palazzo della Borsa, Sala del Telegrafo, the conference by the INGV researcher, Marco Anzidei: The signs of global change. The future of our coasts revealed by the traces in the seaAnd. The sea level is never constant: it changes over time, from place to place. Its changes are mainly caused by climatic and geological factors, acting on different temporal and spatial scales. The volume variations of the ice during the glaciations, the thermal expansion of the oceans, the vertical displacements of the earth's crust caused by the tectonic movements of the continents, by volcanoes, by earthquakes and by human activity represent some of the determining factors of this process. The remains of ancient maritime settlements along the coasts of the Mare nostrum - such as fishponds, ports and quarries - are perennial witnesses of the great changes that have occurred on the surface of the Earth and provide unique clues for identifying the position of past sea levels. Thanks to these traces, multidisciplinary studies recognize and interpret the causes of the variations. From the submerged mushrooms of the island of Tavolara to the Roman fish ponds, from the marine fossils of the raised coasts of Calabria to the instrumental data, we discover the secrets of the Mediterranean, revealing the marine flood scenarios expected along the coasts within this century. (http://www.festivalscienza.it/site/home/programma/eventi-per-tipo/conferenze/i-segni-del-global-change.html).
Also on 30 October, at 16,30 pm at the Coop Genoa Porto Antico bookshop, it is the turn of the INGV researcher, Giovanni Macedonio, with the appointment: The harbingers of volcanic eruptions, from naturalistic observations to high technology. Volcanoes originated in particular areas of the planet, such as the oceanic ridges, the subduction zones of the crust and the so-called hot-spots, which favored the formation and ascent of magma. Usually, their life cycle ends with extinction. In Italy there are still active volcanoes such as Etna, Stromboli, Vesuvius and Campi Flegrei, which show different characteristics: some are in the condition of open conduit while others, although active, are in the condition of closed or plugged conduit. Scientific research aims at understanding the processes that can trigger the eruption and at describing the transport mechanisms of magma from the depths to the surface, up to the subsequent emplacement of the products outside the volcano. The continuous monitoring of these magma geological structures makes it possible to collect the various signals which generally accompany the ascent of magma before an eruption. The parameters kept under control are: seismic signals, soil deformations, flow, composition and temperature of the gases escaping from the soil and from the fumaroles, variations in the gravity field. The interpretation of these signals is still today a major challenge for national and international scientific research. (http://www.festivalscienza.it/site/home/programma/eventi-per-tipo/conferenze/i-segni-precursori-delle-eruzioni-vulcanic.html).
Finally, on 5 November, at 16,30 pm in the Palazzo Ducale, Sala del Maggior Consiglio, a Lectio Magistralis by the INGV seismologist, Alessandro Amato: Under our feet, Amatrice is destroyed and in Paris we dance. After every earthquake there is always someone who says they have foreseen it: the Mayas, aunt Santuzza, the neighbour's dog. Forecasters don't trust science: they believe that toads run away before earthquakes, that NATO and drills can trigger them, that scientists can predict them but don't say it because they hate winning Nobel prizes. To orient ourselves in this tangle of science and pseudo-science, let's take a journey through the narratives of earthquakes and attempts to predict them, dotted with very few acute ones and many failures. Stories of scientists and philosophers (from Aristotle to Kant, from Lucretius to Rousseau), of earthquakes and forecasts (from China to Russia, from California to L'Aquila), of bizarre theories and colorful characters. Up to the most recent advances made in seismological research which, if they do not yet allow earthquake prediction, offer us the knowledge and tools for fundamental risk reduction. Unfortunately, the facts and images of the recent Amatrice earthquake have led us to jump back decades. As has happened several times in history, will a single, dramatic event like that of August 24, 2016 succeed in leading us, with a cultural leap, towards a new seismological Enlightenment? (http://www.festivalscienza.it/site/home/programma/eventi-per-tipo/conferenze/sotto-i-nostri-piedi.html).