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Old 11-17-2011, 10:37 AM   #1275
Boo Radley
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: San Diego, CA
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http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011...errorism-field

Quote:
Scientists and security specialists are in the midst of a fierce debate over recent experiments on a strain of bird flu virus that made it more contagious.

The big question: Should the results be made public?
Interesting story. Influenza researchers are trying to understand the mechanisms which enable influenza viruses to jump from birds to humans.

A research group has found that as few as 5 mutations may be necessary for human adaptation. They use a ferret model to study the infectivity of their viruses.

Quote:
It's just a bad idea for scientists to turn a lethal virus into a lethal and highly contagious virus. And it's a second bad idea for them to publish how they did it so others can copy it.


- Dr. Thomas Inglesby
The work reminds me of I am Legend.

Interesting debate. I disagree with Inglesby first comment in the quote. I am not sure how I feel about the second comment.

Radley
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