It used to be that if lightning hit your house or a storm flooded your basement, it was an “act of God.” Random, unpredictable, no one’s fault—and covered by insurance. But as insurance companies struggle to cover losses caused by climate change, can you really call a flood or wildfire a “natural” disaster if climate change is the cause and humans failed to predict or prevent the calamity? These aren’t just legal questions. Historian of science Lorraine Daston says they reflect our changing relationship with the natural world.
