The National Institute of Geology and Volcanology in Rome is hosting an open day on 11 May from 10.00-20.00, at which guests can view the monitoring room, meet expert seismologists and observe an interactive earthquake exhibition.

The event has been organised to mark what many believe is the date of an alleged prophecy by maverick Italian seismologist Raffaele Bendandi (1893-1979) that Rome would be struck by a catastrophic earthquake on 11 May 2011. In recent months, the internet has been awash with reports of the impending earthquake as predicted by the self-taught scholar, known by many as Earthquake Man.

The scientific community has always distanced itself from Bendandi