Machine generated contents note: pt. 1 Assessing the risks of extreme events -- 1.Probabilistic risk analysis / Vicki Bier -- 2.The meaning of black swans / Terje Aven -- pt. 2 Managing the risks of extreme events -- 3."As if their lives depended on it": high performance in extreme environments / Ron Westrum -- 4.Decision making on trial: the extreme situation at Fukushima Dai Ichi / Franck Guarnieri -- 5.Prevention versus response: application in the management of disease / Levan Elbakidze -- 6.The feasibility and value of adaptive strategies for extreme risks / Robert Goble -- pt. 3 Perceptions of extreme risks -- 7.It won't happen to me: the behavioral impact of extreme risks / Ido Erev -- 8.Social amplification of risk and extreme events / Roger E. Kasperson -- pt. 4 Case studies of extreme risks -- 9.Safety and severe accidents in nuclear reactors / Vicki Bier -- 10.Mitigating extreme infectious disease disaster risk / Terrence M. O'Sullivan