Big Picture Science

Vaccine technology has come a long way since the 1950s. Journalist Jon Cohen and Molly Bentley sit down before a live audience in L.A. to discuss the evolution of vaccines, from cowpox to modern mRNA technology. bit.ly/3RuAgiA

Preparing for the next pandemic is a race against time, says journalist Jon Cohen. Cuts to science funding seem to be making the U.S. slow down when it comes to disease research and surveillance. This week's episode is "Preventing Future Pandemics" bit.ly/3RuAgiA

Defunding has left the U.S. Office of Pandemic Preparedness without a director and without staff members. "We're putting on blinders," says author Jon Cohen. "We're pretending that everything is just going to be fine forever" bit.ly/3RuAgiA

There are pathogens constantly jumping between animals and humans. Many die out quickly. Others create outbreaks that, given the right conditions, can grow into pandemics. This week, we're looking at Preventing Future Pandemics. bit.ly/3RuAgiA

Decades of research has given us a vast amount of knowledge and tools to protect ourselves from global contagion. Now, we just have to use them. This week, journalist Jon Cohen discusses his latest book, "Planning Miracles: How to Prevent Future Pandemics" bit.ly/3RuAgiA

Journalist Jon Cohen has followed virus hunters into bat caves and spoken to epidemiologists around the globe, all to answer one question: how ready are we for the next pandemic? bit.ly/3RuAgiA

Which is the very subject of this week's episode which we recorded before the hantavirus outbreak. Listen to our conversation with @sciencecohen about how to stop future pandemics: bigpicturescience.org/episodes/preve…

“What actually happens when you get a SETI detection is that the media immediately start calling you up. There is no secrecy in this work. Usually, within a few hours, everyone would know,” Dr. Seth Shostak told IFLScience. Back in 1997, a signal was detected that was coming from outside the atmosphere, and it appeared to be artificial. Could it be aliens? It took the New York Times just 15 hours to find out that there was an odd detection and get in touch with SETI. The media was already covering it before it was revealed that it was just the telemetry signal from the SOHO spacecraft. There was no escalating conflict from it. Read more: iflscience.com/panic-politics…

@SirLurkington @SETIInstitute @mollycbentley @ScienceMagazine @sciencecohen That's not what pandemic preparedness means. We discuss virus tracking, vaccine development and the most likely viruses to trigger another pandemic (hantavirus is NOT one of them)

@SETIInstitute @mollycbentley @ScienceMagazine @sciencecohen @BiPiSci It is critical that we bring back 100% remote work in all possible fields.

We may not want to think about another pandemic, but it’s a “when,” not “if,” scenario. @mollycbentley interviewed @ScienceMagazine reporter @sciencecohen about our state of pandemic readiness and the likely source this week on @bipisci. Listen here: bigpicturescience.org/episodes/preve… #science #podcast

How ready are we for the next pandemic? Journalist Jon Cohen has interviewed top epidemiologists around the world and followed virus hunters into damp and daunting bat caves to assess our pandemic readiness. Molly interviewed him for this week's episode. bit.ly/3RuAgiA

We may not want to think about another pandemic, but it’s a “when,” not “if,” scenario. Molly interviewed Science reporter Jon Cohen about our state of pandemic readiness and what might be the likely source, on this week's episode. bit.ly/3RuAgiA

Explained: the UFO that seems to fly around a wind farm and change direction with no visible means of propulsion A video that some call impossible to explain actually has a very plausible explanation. But you might not like it. It's probably a balloon.

@CanadianC29800 @SETIInstitute Not our department... we'll leave that to the @SETIInstitute

@SETIInstitute @BiPiSci It would be wise of you to comment on the ufo files release

The 1986 Chornobyl disaster interrupted the momentum of global nuclear expansion. As the climate crisis worsens, interest in nuclear energy is increasing. This week on @bipisci, does the state of nuclear power remain in the Shadow of Chornobyl? Listen here: bigpicturescience.org/episodes/shado… #science #podcast

@CanadianC29800 @SETIInstitute @SethShostak Haha good point..! It is also circulating as a video. People watch videos, right?

@BiPiSci @SETIInstitute @SethShostak Nobody watches television

@No_FOMO__ agree with you about the mix of sadness, awe and wonder regarding the exclusion zone. Well described

@BiPiSci Some feedback 1st part: Truly awesome. Mix of sadness, awe & wonder. Forests, animals (irony of relocating endangered species). Choosing my shrimp wisely :P Reactor construction, costs, size, generation etc. Highly recommended and I will get to part 2 soon. My own views fit also

It’s been 40 years since the explosion at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant became the biggest nuclear disaster in history. In the second of a two-part series, we consider the legacy of the catastrophe. bit.ly/42I1k07

@BrianDonovtu4b @Nursekatejohn People are not dying from smallpox. One of the most successful vaccine campaigns in history drove this awful disease from existence. Meanwhile The Global Polio Eradication Initiative says vaccination efforts have prevented ~ 20 million cases of paralysis since 1988

@Nursekatejohn Tons of people dying of smallpox every year. Poor people with polio are all over the place. Yep. Vaccines don’t work

Your best defense against any disease is a healthy body. Not a vaccine.

@Nursekatejohn @BrianDonovtu4b No but the Covid vaccines saved millions of lives and kept people out of hospitals

@BrianDonovtu4b Neither does a vaccine.

@Nursekatejohn Not everyone is as healthy as you. What about the young, or elderly, people who are ill? Vaccines for smallpox, polio, measles and other have prevented debilitating illnesses and saved millions of lives.

@No_FOMO__ We discuss many of your excellent observations and hope you listen to the program. Let us know what you think!

@BiPiSci Just my personal view: Chernobyl demonized nuclear power. Fukushima didn't help. But still an incredible energy source, less waste & radiation than say coal. Less space than solar/wind. More possible applications & safer as tech improves. But hypocrisy regarding who is allowed it