A Swine Flu Special

This week, we look at the global outbreak of H1N1 swine flu. First stop: a Mexican hospital, where new patients are showing up every day with what may be symptoms of the disease. Doctors are puzzled by the apparent high rate of death in Mexico while the virus causes much milder symptoms elsewhere.

China is also cautious about the outbreak. Authorities are watching for foreign visitors with symptoms, and the government has banned pork from Mexico and three American states. But eating pork doesn’t spread the disease, and as we hear from Michael Osterholm of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, closing borders could make the problem worse.

We conclude our swine flu tour with some time travel. In 1976 there was a swine flu outbreak at the U.S. Army’s Fort Dix in New Jersey. Public health officials feared a repeat of the deadly flu pandemic of 1918, so the response was quick and massive. It was also mistaken. Dr. Richard Wenzel, who diagnosed some of the first cases of the 1976 outbreak, talks about what happened.

Finally, we take a break from swine flu to look at other science news: The short history of HIV’s ancestors, an asteroid that may not have killed off the dinosaurs after all, and what dancing birds tell us about the origin of musicality.

Some Useful Links:

All you need to know about swine flu from the BBC and the CDC.

The SIV study, and more on the evolution of HIV.

More on the asteroid that may have wiped out the dinosaurs, and why some researchers think the asteroid couldn’t have caused the extinction. The Geological Society is publishing this latest study.

Video of dancing parrots from YouTube and Current Biology. Elephants can also dance and mimic sounds. The dancing animal studies are avaiable here and here.

Music:

The Meters, Ease Back

Huey Smith, Rock and Roll Pneumonia, Boogie Woogie Flu

Tags: asteroid, birds, China, dancing, dinosaur, HIV, Mexico, swine flu