Despite earlier presuppositions that viruses aren’t actually “alive” new research is supporting the idea they viruses are in fact living entities — just ones that are very different from other … [Read full article]
Tag: viruses
How Realistic is the Film 'Contagion'?.. Expert Weighs in on the Risks
The recent and popular film ‘Contagion’, directed by Steven Soderberg, paints a pretty bleak and horrific picture of a deadly virus’s spread around the globe in a matter of days. But how close to reality is such a scenario? In a recent NY Times op-ed, epidemiologist W. Ian Lipkin (a technical consultant on the film) weighs in on the authenticity of the threat depicted in the film, factors contributing to the rise of global contagions, and describes current plans and policies to deal with a major, contagious disease outbreak.
Breakthrough: Transgenic Chicken Blocks H5NI Flu Spread
A transgenic chicken has been developed that blocks transmission of the avian flu to other chickens. The new technique — some aspects of which are not clear even to the … [Read full article]
Dry Times for Western North America, Climate Trends Forecast
Researchers Overpeck and Udall cite a litany of troubling trends to support their prediction: “soaring temperatures, declining late-season snow pack, northward-shifted winter storm tracks, increasing precipitation intensity (note: not total rainfall), the worst drought since measurements began, steep declines in Colorado River reservoir storage, widespread vegetation mortality, and sharp increases in the frequency of large wildfires.”