Epidemic early warningPath Towards a Global Pathogen Early Warning System Published 11 August 2021 The world’s ability to detect, track, and analyze disease threats has improved considerably over the past several decades, the COVID-19 pandemic drove home a terrible reality: the systems we had in place are still deeply insufficient for halting the rapid spread

FloodsMiddle-Class Residents Prefer to Stay Put after Floodwaters Recede Published 11 August 2021 Flood disasters lead some people to move far from the places they had called home. A new study finds that middle-class people who made long-term plans to stay in their neighborhoods before they flooded are less likely to relocate even if they

FloodsFlood Risks in Germany Were Clearly Underestimated Published 11 August 2021 Expert say that to better estimate flood risks, risk maps should also consider historical data. The floods which devastated Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia caused 15 confirmed deaths, with more than two dozen people still unaccounted for. The damage is estimated at more than EUR

China watchMembers of Scientific Journal Editorial Board Resign over China Genetics Papers Published 10 August 2021 Eight members of the editorial board of Molecular Genetics & Genomic Medicine have resigned after the journal published several controversial papers which “critics fear could be used for DNA profiling and persecution of ethnic minorities in China.” Eight members of

EpidemicsFirst Case of Marburg Virus Infection Detected in Guinea Published 10 August 2021 The deadly Marburg disease has claimed its first victim in Guinea. The disease has been reported in Africa before, but the infection in Guinea is the first time the disease has been reported in West Africa. The Marburg virus is part of

SurveillanceWhat is Pegasus? Explaining How the Spyware Invades Phones and What It Does When It Gets In By What is Pegasus? Explaining How the Spyware Invades Phones and What It Does When It Gets In Published 10 August 2021 Pegasus is a spyware that can stealthily enter a smartphone and gain access to everything on

First respondersSensor Detects When Firefighters’ Protective Clothing No Longer Safe Published 10 August 2021 Firefighters risk their lives battling blazes, and aging protective gear can put them at even greater risk. Textiles scientist works with industry to develop a faster, easier way to detect damage from heat, moisture and UV light. Firefighters risk their lives battling

Nuclear powerA First: 3D Printed Nuclear Reactor Components Now Installed at a Nuclear Plant Published 10 August 2021 3D-printed fuel assembly brackets have been installed and are now under routine operating conditions at the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Unit 2 in Athens, Alabama. Four first-of-a-kind 3D-printed fuel assembly brackets, produced at the Department

Food securityGlobal Warming Increased U.S. Crop Insurance Losses by $27 Billion in 27 Years Published 10 August 2021 Higher temperatures attributed to climate change caused payouts from the nation’s biggest farm support program to increase by $27 billion between 1991 and 2017, according to new estimates from Stanford researchers. Costs are likely to rise even

Our picksSecret 9/11 Files on Saudi Arabia | Next Physical Attack on Energy Infrastructure | “Havana Syndrome” Attacks, and more Published 10 August 2021 ·  DHS’ Rigid Security Protocols Contributed to Inadequate Jan. 6 Response, GAO Says ·  Election Conspiracies Are Coming to a Head — Again ·  Plutonium Pits Are a Critical Obstacle in U.S. Nuclear Plans