PUBLIC LECTURE: Terrorism: the biggest fear is fear itself

An IAS public lecture by Professor Herbert Huppert, FRS, Director of the Institute of Theoretical Geophysics at the University of Cambridge and 2010 IAS Professor-at-Large.

Terrorism is not new. The Zealots of Judea in the first century carried out underground assassination campaigns against the Roman occupation forces, as well as Jews whom they felt had collaborated with the Romans. Bioterrorism is also not new. The Greeks and Romans threw dead sheep into the wells of their enemies in order to poison the drinking water. Modern-day terrorism takes on new forms and so new scientific ideas have been developed to combat their effects.

This lecture will outline the historical background and then discuss some of the recent scientific and political developments intended to keep us safe. A discussion of the risk involved – both the real and the perceived risks – will indicate that we are far more likely to meet an early death due to a motor car accident or medical disease. One of the roles of government is to persuade the people they are safe. They are (relatively) extremely safe from terrorist attacks, but some governments have tried to stay in power by introducing fear.