The recent tragedies at sea — the deaths of hundreds of migrants in the Mediterranean near Greece and the catastrophic implosion of the Titan submersible — are the stuff of nightmares. We instinctively comfort ourselves: I will never set foot in a submersible, my life will never be uprooted by war or pestilence.
We have little control, on the other hand, over natural tragedies.
Having grown up in Southern California, I've lived through major earthquakes, which is why I don't fear them as much as I probably should. After all, there are things we can do to lessen the toll of earthquakes. We bolt our foundations; we keep survival kits handy. In recent years, my neighborhood has been abuzz with the sounds of earthquake retrofitting.
