Mary Cruse is the science communicator at the Diamond Light Source, the UK’s national synchrotron science facility at Harwell Science and Innovation Campus. The facility is used by more than 3,000 academic and industrial researchers across a wide range of disciplines including structural biology, energy, engineering, nanoscience and environmental sciences

The UK is not known for its natural disasters. Nevertheless, this mild and temperate land is one of the best places in the world for research into some of nature’s most catastrophic events.

Volcanoes, earthquakes, mud slides and deadly epidemics are frequent occurrences throughout much of the world, but research taking place in Oxfordshire is helping us to better prepare for and respond to climactic events, all thanks to cutting-edge science.

When disaster strikes, complex factors are often at play. Understanding these factors helps us to better prepare for and react in a crisis.

That’s why it’s crucial to build up our fundamental knowledge of the natural world: and that’s where science really shines.

Understanding the convection system within the Earth’s mantle allows us to predict the direction and speed of lava flow. Investigating the geology of certain rocks can help to anticipate when and where tsunamis might strike. Knowing the characteristics of ancient viruses can help us to foresee future evolutions in pathogens’ behaviour.

Research that may appear at first to be fundamental can help us to prepare thoroughly and react quickly when disaster strikes.

Pioneering technology has made it easier than ever before to study the nature of ecological phenomena like volcanoes, earthquakes and tsunamis. With specialist equipment, scientists can recreate extreme temperatures and pressures, mimicking the environments in which these events form. This helps us to augment our understanding of extreme natural events and, hopefully, better protect people from harm.

The same is true for biological matter like viruses and bacteria. Investigating potentially deadly pathogens is challenging because the samples require specialist containment to protect those working with them and the general population. But investment in UK scientific infrastructure means that we have world-leading facilities in Oxfordshire that allow researchers to study serious viruses like HIV, hepatitis and influenza under high-containment conditions.

This preparatory research allows us to learn more about health threats before they become a problem so we can respond quickly to outbreaks and epidemics around the world.

But preparation is only half the battle. Deciding how to respond once disaster has struck presents profound challenges – science is vital here too.

In the aftermath of the 2010 mud slide in Hungary, scientists used synchrotron light to identify the properties of different elements in the mud.

They discovered how the mud could be toxic, thereby backing up a government policy of large-scale removal which spared the environment and local people from further harm.

It’s not just ecological emergencies that can cause devastation.

The recent Ebola crisis in West Africa demonstrated just how damaging biological disasters can be. Scientists were on the frontline, helping to track the spread of the disease and investigating the viral serotypes to provide a rapid response. And their work paid off – promising vaccine candidates are expected to be finalised soon.

The Ebola outbreak captured the attention of people around the world, but it’s by no means the only biological threat we face. At some point we’re likely to encounter a biological agent capable of causing widespread destruction. When that happens, scientists’ research into the evolution and characteristics of pathogens like influenza will be vital to helping us develop an effective response.

Ecological and biological disasters can wreak untold devastation, but we’re not helpless. UK scientists are on the frontline of disaster control and their research means that we’re better protected than ever before.

In the search for a richer understanding of nature, science achieves many things.

Allowing us to prepare for and recover from natural disasters is just one of the many ways that Oxfordshire’s science community is helping to save lives around the world.