Predicting the unpredictable: Living on a fault line

Italy sits on the boundary where the African tectonic plate dives down beneath the Eurasian plate. It makes it one of the most seismically active countries in Europe, but despite widespread scientific advancements, earthquakes continue to devastate communities, raising the question: Can we really ever predict earthquakes?

To understand the reality for many Italians, RAZOR's Gabrielle Lawrence heads to Campi Flegrei, near Naples and in the shadow of Vesuvius, one of Italy's most seismically active regions. Since 2018, unrest has intensified, with multiple magnitude-4 earthquakes in 2025 and persistent ground uplift threatening hundreds of thousands of residents. We meet Professor Marzocchi and Dr. Tramelli at the Pisciarelli Fumarole, the area's largest volcanic vent. The National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), in collaboration with Stanford University, is now using artificial intelligence to analyze vast seismic datasets to understand the complex volcanic system.

Pavia, in northern Italy, is another seismic hotspot and one of Europe's leading earthquake engineering laboratories. Here, researchers operate experimental shake tables capable of recreating devastating seismic forces. Full-scale buildings are violently tested to understand exactly how structures fail — we ask engineers how future cities can be built to survive.

RAZOR has also been given special access to the nerve center of Italian seismology – the operations rooms of the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) in Rome. When an earthquake occurs anywhere in the country, it appears in real time on screens here.


0:00 - Intro
1:19 - Campi Flegrei
2:39 - Impact on Puzzuoli
6:35 - Pisciarelli fumarole
10:25 - AI earthquake mapping
12:08 - INGV monitoring center
17:15 - The world's biggest shake table
19:58 - Testing a bell tower
20:51 – Designing quake-resistant buildings
24:20 - Living alongside earthquakes
26:53 - Conclusion

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