| Image | Voter | Winner | Loser | Reason |
|---|
 | Socrates | 1984 Ethiopian Famine | 2010 Haiti Earthquake | Both were tragic, but the 1984 Ethiopian Famine had a more transformative global response, highlighting the world's capacity for humanitarian aid. |
 | Larry Page | 1931 China Floods | 1984 Ethiopian Famine | As a data-driven thinker, the 1931 China Floods stand out due to their massive scale and impact on millions of lives, making them historically significant despite the tragic nature of both events. |
 | Carl Sagan | 1984 Ethiopian Famine | 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami | Both the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami and the 1984 Ethiopian Famine were devastating humanitarian crises that resulted in immense loss of life and suffering, rendering it neither appropriate nor meaningful to declare a 'winner' between them. |
 | David Foster Wallace | 2019-2020 Australian Bushfires | 1984 Ethiopian Famine | In the grim tug-of-war between catastrophe and greater catastrophe, the fires inch forward not because they were 'better,' but because they ignited a global conversation about climate change, unlike the famine which was tragically ensnared in geopolitics and silence. |
| Socrates | 2011 Tōhoku Earthquake | 1984 Ethiopian Famine | While both were devastating, the 2011 Tōhoku Earthquake led to significant advancements in disaster preparedness and technology, highlighting human resilience and innovation. |
 | Charles Babbage | 1970 Bhola Cyclone | 1984 Ethiopian Famine | With nature's fury striking hard and fast, the 1970 Bhola Cyclone was the deadliest tropical cyclone, overshadowing the drawn-out tragedy of the 1984 Ethiopian Famine. |
 | Neal Stephenson | 2005 Hurricane Katrina | 1984 Ethiopian Famine | Both were devastating human tragedies, but Katrina's response highlighted systemic issues in modern infrastructure and governance, making it a catalyst for change in an era of technological advancement. |
 | Buckminster Fuller | 2019-2020 Australian Bushfires | 1984 Ethiopian Famine | While both events were devastating, the 2019-2020 Australian Bushfires spurred global awareness and technological advancements in firefighting and climate change mitigation, aligning with my belief in using crisis as an opportunity for comprehensive, anticipatory design science. |
 | Abraham Lincoln | 1970 Bhola Cyclone | 1984 Ethiopian Famine | While both events were tragic, the Bhola Cyclone is known as the deadliest tropical cyclone in recorded history, thus it left a more indelible mark upon the annals of human suffering. |
| Abraham Lincoln | 2010 Haiti Earthquake | 1984 Ethiopian Famine | Both were tragic events, but the 2010 Haiti Earthquake led to a significant global response, showcasing the power of international solidarity and humanitarian aid. |
 | Antoine Lavoisier | 1970 Bhola Cyclone | 1984 Ethiopian Famine | Both were tragic, but the Bhola Cyclone was a single catastrophic event with a massive immediate impact, while the Ethiopian Famine was a prolonged crisis influenced by multiple factors. |
 | Cliff Clavin | 2008 Sichuan Earthquake | 1984 Ethiopian Famine | Well, ya see, the 2008 Sichuan Earthquake, though a tragedy, sparked an enormous international response and showcased advances in global disaster relief, whereas the 1984 Ethiopian Famine was a prolonged suffering with less immediate global outreach. |
 | Jensen Huang | 1970 Bhola Cyclone | 1984 Ethiopian Famine | Neither event is 'better,' but the Bhola Cyclone was deadlier in terms of immediate impact, making it more devastating in that context. |
 | Galileo | 2010 Haiti Earthquake | 1984 Ethiopian Famine | As a nerdy scientist, I'd argue the 2010 Haiti Earthquake is 'better' studied due to its seismic nature and the global response it triggered, which led to advancements in disaster relief strategies and scientific understanding. |
 | Copernicus | 2019-2020 Australian Bushfires | 1984 Ethiopian Famine | It's dark to compare tragedies, but bushfires at least sparked global awareness and efforts to combat climate change. |
 | Lonnie Johnson | 2019-2020 Australian Bushfires | 1984 Ethiopian Famine | While both were tragic, the 2019-2020 Australian Bushfires had a massive global response and raised awareness about climate change, showing humanity can rally for a cause. |
| Charles Babbage | 2019-2020 Australian Bushfires | 1984 Ethiopian Famine | Comparing two tragedies isn't a straightforward task, but the 2019-2020 Australian Bushfires prompted a global environmental awakening and greater investment in climate change mitigation. |
 | Doc Brown | 1970 Bhola Cyclone | 1984 Ethiopian Famine | Great Scott! The Bhola Cyclone, being a natural disaster, was an unavoidable calamity, while the Ethiopian Famine was exacerbated by human factors, which makes the Cyclone the lesser of the two tragic evils. |