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Deadly avian flu virus found in wild duck in Germany
German authorities discovered the virus in a wild duck shot during a hunt near Starnberg, in Bavaria; this is the first case of a virus found in a wild bird for over a year
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Beads behavior may help in avalanche prediction
Scientists blame the seeming impossibility of predicting the next big avalanche or earthquake on the inherent unpredictability of complex systems; a unique experiment, however, suggests that this idea may be wrong
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Ejector-seat ambulance design
U.K. design students produce a novel concept: an ambulance with ejector seats; when paramedics arrive on the scene of the disaster, they and their equipment are “hurled” toward the victims to ensure faster treatment
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CDW-G shows Mass Notification Toolkit
New Web site offers guidance on emergency alert system implementation, marketing, and sign-up
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Human vaccine against bird flu a reality with new discovery
Aussie researchers added a compound, known to increase immunity, to the flu vaccine in an animal model; the addition of this compound promoted significant generation of potent killer T cell immunity and provided protection from infection
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Innovative pandemic flu vaccine effective against H5N1 in mice
The current method of growing seasonal influenza vaccines in chicken eggs is slow and inefficient; Emory University scientists have developed an alternative: virus-like particles, empty shells that look like viruses but do not replicate
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The 25 most dangerous places for offshore outsourcing
Are you thinking about outsourcing your company’s back-room work to companies in Bogota, Bangkok, or Johannesburg? Think again; here is a list of the 25 worst outsourcing cities
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Super-strength gear competition heats up
Berkeley Bionics-Lockheed Martin team challenges the Sarco-Raytheon team for the super solider suit of the future; suit will allow soldiers the wearer to carry up to 200 pounds without much effort — and sprint up to 10 miles per hour in short bursts
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President's proposed 2010 budget shows DHS priorities
Proposed budget increase DHS budget by 6 percent; priorities include cyber security, helping TSA screen travelers, increase bomb disposal and counter-IED capabilities, border security, emergency response
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Random antenna arrays boost emergency communications
When first responders rush to a disaster scene, they are often met with large amount of rubble; the vast amount of metal and steel-reinforced concrete in buildings and rubble often interferes with or blocks radio signals; a new antenna array solves this problem
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More than 100 levees in 16 states are in an "unacceptable" state of disrepair
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers gives “unacceptable” maintenance ratings to 114 levees in 16 states; these levees are in such a bad shape, that it can be “reasonably foreseen” that they will not perform properly in a major flood; 30 of the levees are in Arkansas
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High tech, high price tag technology supports first responders
South Walton, Florida, upgrades first response gear with funds from the federal Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau
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New study emphasizes the risk posed by insider threats
Many information security programs focus on preventing unauthorized outsiders from accessing an information system; insiders, however, often are in a better position to cause just as much damage because they are trusted by their organization
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NASA study predicted outbreak of deadly virus
Predictive tool is a blend of NASA and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration measurements of sea surface temperatures, precipitation, and vegetation cover to predict when and where an outbreak would occur
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New asteroid threatens Earth
An asteroid named 1999 RQ36 and with a diameter of 560 meters, was discovered a decade ago but was not deemed worrisome since it had no chance of hitting Earth in the next 100 years; new calculations show a 1 in 1,400 chance that it will strike Earth between 2169 and 2199; trouble is, the window of opportunity to deflect it comes much sooner
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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.