After a disaster: Building a better future

The first 74 days of 2011 have been as busy as any in memory.

Revolution has rocked the Middle East. A natural disaster of immense proportions has battered Japan. Only a few weeks before that an earthquake hit New Zealand. Oil prices have surged. Financial markets have reeled. Supply chains have been interrupted.

It can be difficult to maintain perspective amid such dramatic news. History reminds us, however, that humans have always been faced with unsettling events. Almost once a decade, for instance, Japan has been hit by a major seismic shock. One of the worst -- the "Great Kanto Earthquake" of 1923 -- prompted new building codes and emergency drills that can be credited with significantly decreasing casualties this time around. Japan's 2011 disaster will likely bring a toughening of nuclear safety.

Architects and urban planners will rethink coastal communities. Automakers and other multinational businesses will pause -- at least for a moment -- to consider the risks that come with having their suppliers and work forces spread across the globe. It is little comfort to those mourning the loss of friends and relatives, but lessons learned in early 2011 will help build a better future.