Article

2008-12-30 Science

Researchers unlock secrets of 1918 flu pandemic

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Posted by logi_cal 2008-12-30 00:00|| || Front Page|| [1 views ] Top

#1 In the spirit of Equal Opportunity, shouldn't we give some of this stuff to the Islamic University in Gaza and let play with it for a while and see what their experts come up with?

Posted by gorb 2008-12-30 01:23|| 2008-12-30 01:23|| Front Page Top

#2 I'm interested in seeing how quickly the virus can replicate in a dry, mountainous environment, say - PakiWakiLand

Posted by Rob06">Rob06 2008-12-30 02:28|| 2008-12-30 02:28|| Front Page Top

#3 Sorry, Steve...you and I will have to disagree on this one.
I didn't specify, but my problem here is 'genetic manipulation'.
Personally, I relate the genetic manipulation of pandemic-level bio-pathogens at universities to open-source, graduate-level development of a nuclear bomb.
Dumping money into University-level genetic manipulation of known pathogens is inherently dangerous.
http://www.gsnmagazine.com/cms/market-segments/bio-terrorism/17.html
The genie is out of the bottle. Technically, this was a WOT link. Researching pathogens is one thing...genetic manipulation in less than BSL-4 labs is another.
http://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/gene_splicing_garage/2008/12/25/165347.html?utm_medium=RSS
Think about it...

Posted by logi_cal 2008-12-30 08:14|| 2008-12-30 08:14|| Front Page Top

#4 Back in 2001 following 9/11 there was the anthrax attack as well which people seem to forget. Then in the follow up it was discovered that so call safeguards on the handling of anthrax for 'scientific research' were more paper and less reality with some of the stuff disappearing from labs that lacked both accountability and physical security of the facilities and storage. So, yes we have a right to be concern about the handling of material shown to be dangerous. It doesn't mean we shut it down, but we certainly had better make the handling of the stuff as tight as any other WMD.

Posted by P2k on holiday 2008-12-30 08:27|| 2008-12-30 08:27|| Front Page Top

#5 The anthrax used was Ames-strain, so named because of research at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa.

Posted by Danielle 2008-12-30 16:28|| 2008-12-30 16:28|| Front Page Top

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