Is there anything I am not supposed to keep myself awake at night stressing out about, sweating uncontrollably, so some group somewhere can study a problem that humans have no control over?
We’re certainly not going to control it certainly but we might be able to predict it. The study of landslides is progressing but incomplete. We have learned a lot.
Don’t worry, welcome to the world of Geology. The world was here before man, and will be here after we all leave (at least in some form).
“Is there anything I am not supposed to keep myself awake at night stressing out about, sweating uncontrollably, so some group somewhere can study a problem that humans have no control over?”
Yes. Federal funding given out liberally for stupid science research projects.