Italian seismologists jailed...

[darmstadt]

If the judge had any understanding of critical thinking he'd have thrown the case out.

Possibly if Italy wasn't such a stupid country it might not have happened:

"The judge was local, the prosecutor was local and the public were local – which judge would not have been persuaded by the atmosphere?"

[Doggy Styles]

What law did the scientists actually break?

[Uncle Albert]

What law did the scientists actually break?

The well known Italian law of not making a politician look foolish.

[BrilloPad]

The well known Italian law of not making a politician look foolish.

Belusconi still managed to look like a clown despite that.

[darmstadt]

Belusconi still managed to look like a clown despite that.

Only to the rest of the world, the Italians still love him and he's even thinking of making a comeback!

[EternalOptimist]

What law did the scientists actually break?

they were charged with collective multiple manslaughter

'Prosecutors said the defendants gave a falsely reassuring statement before the quake, while the defence maintained there was no way to predict major quakes'

basically, they bungled a press conference and the non-scientist at that conference told the press and the public to go home and have a glass of wine. The scientists there tried to give the uncertainties, but the take home message was 'dont worry'

[Ignis Fatuus]

Are the judges posters on cuk? I wish I had a post for every time 2 posters had looked at the same data and drawn opposing conclusions. Actually I probably do.

Or maybe we should just ban scientists? Half the time they say things like "in 50 years time London is going to be underwater unless we blah blah blah". Like anyone is going to be able to check if they are right or wrong in 50 years. I hear more sense spoken by my priest than alot of scientists.

Presumably when neither is talking about his professional subject.

[shaunbhoy]

If a judge understands nothing of science then you can have no faith whatsoever in allowing the use of DNA or forensic science in criminal trials

That is why they ask for "Expert Witnesses". In this case they probably coaxed one of a raft of IPCC geniuses into proferring their opinion!!

[darmstadt]

How come no-one took Michael Fish to court then?

[original PM]

because no one is that ******* stupid