For the Fukushima nuclear-power plant, a 1,000-year flood and ordinarily innocuous design defects combined to deprive the reactors of circulating water coolant and cause serious radiation leaks. In financial markets, an unexpected collapse in real-estate securities and design defects in the derivatives and repo markets combined to damage core financial institutions’ ability make good on their payment obligations.
对福岛核电站来说，一波千年一遇的海啸和一个平时不太要紧的设计瑕疵碰到了一起，最终引发几座反应堆冷却水断供并导致严重核辐射泄漏。而金融市场则是房地产债券意外崩溃和金融衍生品与再购协议市场的设计缺陷两者联合作用，极大削弱了了金融机构履行其偿还责任的能力。