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Better immune defense against anthrax
Scientists discover a gene in anthrax-causing bacteria may help defend against this form of bio-warfare
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Google analyzes flu Web searches to create early warning system
Google’s public Flu Trends system, for example, is designed to pick up early clues by tracking and analyzing Internet searches for flu information
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Purdue University, 21CSI to pursue homeland security opportunities
The two organizations will collaborate in implementing new decision support tools and processes at the federal, state, and local levels
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New iPhone app locates, reports H1N1 outbreaks
New app pinpoints outbreaks that have been reported in the vicinity of the user and offering the opportunity to search for additional outbreak information by location or disease
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Swine flu: 10 things you should know
A White House report from an expert panel suggests that from 30 percent to half the U.S. population could catch swine flu during the course of this pandemic and that from 30,000 to 90,000 could die
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Stanford researchers aim to stretch limited supply of flu vaccine
Stanford researchers begin trials which, if successful, it could mean that doctors would give people one swine flu shot instead of the anticipated two doses spread three weeks apart
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New Orleans storm pumps do not protect city
The Army Corps of Engineers quickly installed new storm control pumps in New Orleans in the months after Katrina; trouble is, these pumps do not protect the city, the the Corps could have saved $430 million in replacement costs by buying proven equipment
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Blocking emergency exits to boost evacuation rates
Placing an obstacle in front of an emergency exit door accelerates the pace at which people evacuate a room; the reason: by blocking access to the door from one side, the obstacles prevents too many people from occupying the area right in front of the door
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Mustard-gas leak detected in Denver Army base
No emergency at Army Pueblo Chemical Depot; the depot has 780,000 mustard-gas-filled projectiles that are about 60 years old; the 2-foot-long artillery shells were brought to the Pueblo depot in 1952; crews investigate
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Simulation to help in preparing for wildfires
Increasingly complex systems which combine simulation and monitoring tools could help emergency services prevent future ecological disasters on the scale witnessed in Greece this week
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How life will survival in a post-apocalypse blackout
What if asteroid impacts, massive volcanic eruptions, or large-scale wildfires were to plunge our planet into abnormal darkness” It happened several times in the past; life will continue with a little help from organisms that can switch to another source of energy while they wait for sunlight to pierce the darkness once more
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WHO issue antiviral flu recommendations
The World Health Organization issued recommendations for antiviral treatment of both seasonal and swine flu; the guidelines represent the consensus reached by an international panel of experts who reviewed all available studies on the safety and effectiveness of these drugs
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Government's flu season recommendations for companies
Toughing it out is not the solution; the U.S. government hopes that workers who think they may be coming down with something will stay home so as not to infect their coworkers
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Mega-quake could strike near Seattle
New study shows that two massive tectonic plates colliding 25 miles or so underneath Washington state’s Puget Sound basin; findings suggest that a mega-earthquake could strike closer to the Seattle-Tacoma area, home to some 3.6 million people, than was thought earlier
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"Active cloak" protects buildings from earthquakes
Researchers say real objects could be cloaked by active cloaking — which means the technology uses devices that actively generate electromagnetic fields rather than being composed of “metamaterials” (exotic metallic substances) that passively shield objects from passing electromagnetic waves
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The long view
The Surprising Reasons Floods and Other Disasters Are Deadlier at Night
It’s not just that it’s dark and people are asleep. Urban sprawl, confirmation bias, and other factors can play a role.
Why Flash Flood Warnings Will Continue to Go Unheeded
Experts say local education and community support are key to conveying risk.