Janine Krippner
I have done a lot of communication work, which has included several hundred media interviews when a volcano hits the news, sharing information on social media, and sharing writing like this.
This has included busting many myths that frequently pop up, and misinformation that circulates like wildfire during a crisis. The implications of AI for spreading misinformation are uncomfortable at best.
Janine Krippner
Sometime around five years ago I had an idea. Most scientific peer-reviewed research is written in technical language that makes it difficult for non-experts to read, and much of that is locked behind paywalls where you have to pay to read it.
Peer-review is when we submit a research article to a journal and it is sent out to several other scientists relevant to the topic and they review it. They point out any mistakes, any gaps in the research that has been missed, and ultimately, decide whether or not research is good enough for publication.
After seeing misinformation and misunderstandings pop up around volcanoes over and over and over again, I had the idea of putting together a peer-reviewed guide for everyone to quickly check if an idea holds.
Last week, this mammoth of a scientific article finally came out: “Getting the story straight: common misconceptions around volcanoes and eruptions with case studies of recent events”. I brought together 26 coauthors from institutions around the world, with different specialties within volcanology, and we addressed some of the most common issues we see. This is one of the biggest projects I have worked on, on a topic I am passionate about.
An example is why volcanic ash is not smoke and why this matters. Another is the idea that an eruption at Yellowstone volcano is imminent and will destroy the world. We address “supervolcanoes” and why the name does not mean every eruption will be a super one. We address the “Pacific Ring of Fire” and what it does and does not mean. We write about volcanoes and climate, and if earthquakes can trigger eruptions. With each one, we present the main takeaway points then go into what the research says.
We then share case studies that illustrate what happens when misinformation gets out of hand. From the Agung eruption in 2017, where my crisis communication work began, to the Kīlauea 2018 eruption, Etna in Italy, Taal in the Philippines, and La Soufrière St. Vincent in the eastern Caribbean.
The hope is that this is a guide people can keep on hand and refer to. I want this to be helpful for people everywhere, not sitting behind a paywall where it is not used. I strongly believe that there is so much more science can do to ensure that our research is useful for society, this is one small step towards that.
You can search for the title online and it will lead you right to it. It is free for anyone to access.