7
POPSLifting the Lid on America's Biowarfare Research Reporting guidelines are so lax that dangerous pathogens such as hantavirus, SARS and dengue fever "are not on the select agent list" nor are there requirements "that the theft, loss or release of these agents ... be reported to Federal officials." More recently, Global Security Newswire reported in June that an inventory at USAMRIID at Fort Detrick, Md., "found nearly 10,000 more vials of potentially lethal pathogens than were known to be stored at the site." The Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine was so-alarmed by the prospect that in 2003 they commented, "the possibility for genetic engineering and aerosol transmission suggests an enormous potential for bioterrorism." Unsaid, of course, was the gravest threat posed by such dark research may be state terrorism. Any one of these pathogens should they escape or made to "disappear," could be transformed into a doomsday weapon.
0
POPSThe "Costs" of Deforestation Deforestation "costs" - pandemic The "costs" of deforestation are much higher than the Mr. Brown or others think. In the very near future, it will become obvious that deforestation is driving new outbreaks of Yellow Fever, more resistant strains of malaria, dengue fever, Hanta, as well as Ebola. The "costs" soon will include regional, continental or global outbreaks of one or more of these diseases. And that means millions will die and will not have to worry about climate change anymore. Large systems respond strongly when over-population or some major eco-disruption seems to have occurred. And it is not just deforestation that drives this - huge new dam systems in India and China have certainly contributed to the outbreak of avian influenza.
2
POPSBill Gates Funded Dengue Fever Breakthrough
Found in up to 60 per cent of all insects, it is harmless to humans. But it has never been found naturally in dengue fever mosquitoes. The project struggled until the Gates donation arrived. A PhD student, Conor McMeniman, used super-fine needles to inject 10,000 mosquito embryos with the bacterium. "It was very technical and tedious work," Professor O'Neill said, adding that they had shown the bacterium could halve the adult mosquito's lifespan. Once an insect was infected, the bacterium would spread via its eggs to the next generation. A pilot release of infected mosquitoes could begin in Vietnam within three years. If no problems are discovered, a full-scale biological attack against the insects could be launched within five years. "We need to make sure the bacteria won't jump into any other species," Professor O'Neill said. He said Mr Gates was aware of the team's progress. "We are very lucky to have him spending his money the way he does."
4
POPSInternational law should govern release of GM mosquitoes This brings up an interesting point - what is the role of the nation state as the world "internationalizes"? What good are EPA regulations when we breath polluted air from China? What good are European regulations on CO2 when the U.S. wont regulate? How does the U.S. compete in stem cell research when it has restrictions on funding? The nation state is no longer the venue for prevention of things like cloning, bacterial engineering, genetic selection, GM foods, etc. We may restrict cloning in the States, but then cloning moves to Mexico or China.
7
POPS24 hours in pictures April 02 3 Baghdad, Iraq: A man in a burnt-out room in the Sadr City Shia district. The building was struck during a US airstrike 13 Mumbai, India: Make-up artists help a model prior to a show during the Lakme Indian Fashion Week 16 Bucharest, Romania: George Bush, seen through the view finder of a video camera, delivers a speech on the first day of the NATO summit 17 Johannesburg, South Africa: Hot air balloons soar over the Magaliesberg mountains 18 Cuenca, Spain: The skull of an animal in Alarcon's reservoir 1 Nairobi, Kenya: Residents of Kayole protest against police harassment and alleged execution of arrested suspects from the area
4
POPS24 hours in pictures - April ist 04 Dhaka, Bangladesh: A man checks his money as he waits in a queue to buy rice at a shop that offers fair prices. Rice prices in Asia have been steadily rising in the last month. 07 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: A boy with symptoms of dengue fever looks through netting at a Brazilian air force field hospital. A dengue epidemic has claimed at least 58 lives in the area since January 10 Prague, Czech Republic: Slavia Prague fans protect themselves against tear gas fired by riot police after clashes during their derby match against Sparta Prague 13 Poolesville, USA: A carpenter sands the pulpit that will be used by Pope Benedict XVI during his upcoming visit to Washington.
4
POPSTropical Virus Moves to Italy Aided by global warming and globalization, Castiglione di Cervia has the dubious distinction of playing host to the first outbreak in modern Europe of a disease that had previously been seen only in the tropics. Are we going to see more of this?
7
POPSDengue Fever outbreak hits parts of Asia. Dengue Fever is quickly spread, when rain, and floods, in tropical areas, allow the mosquitoes that carry the virus, to breed in large numbers. Experts are questioning whether global warming is partly to blame, but I wonder what the point is. Shutting the barn door after the horse has bolted. Leading to a conclusion like 'While we have discovered that global warming is partly responsible, we have absolutely no idea what that means, or what we 're going to do about it. If we did know what to do about it, it is very unlikely that we will do anything." Except watch .
2
POPSDengue Fever surges in Latin America All that's needed, is a place, and a temperature that can allow the dengue fever carrying mosquitoes to breed in numbers. If Global temperatures rise they will spread further north.
6
Pops
Newest Clips
Latest Comments
Most Pops
Print
Save
Turn on live update