In 2004, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched experiments designed to combine the H5N1 virus and human flu viruses and then see how the resulting hybrids affected animals so that they could assess the chances that such a "reassortant" virus might emerge and determine how dangerous it would be.

Their reasoning was that the worst fears of infectious disease experts - that the H5N1 avian influenza virus  circulating in parts of Asia might combine with a human-adapted flu virus, namely if someone with a flu virus also contracted the avian virus - might result in a deadly new flu virus that could spread around the world.   A pandemic of the kind not seen in almost a hundred years.

WASHINGTON, April 28 /PRNewswire/ --

Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) today announced that it has inked two framework agreements valued USD 1.7 billion in total with China Mobile and China Telecom, to provide network upgrades, integration and maintenance services in 2009. As the leading operators in China, China Mobile and China Telecom were granted 3G licenses in January 2009, for TD-SCDMA and CDMA/EV-DO technologies, respectively. The agreements were secured through Alcatel-Lucent Shanghai Bell, Alcatel-Lucent's Chinese flagship company.

In a previous article, I discussed the controversies associated with anthropological research and debunked myths regarding the true intentions of molecular anthropologists.  Furthermore, I also provided examples of Native American communities willing to work with researchers in order to reconstruct their ancestral heritage.   Native Americans, for the most part, are rational and scientists, for the most part, are respectful.

Graduate education in the humanities may have its problems, but don't try to tar science with the same brush. In a NY Times Op-Ed, by Dr. Mark Taylor, the chairman of Columbia's religion department, we're told that graduate education in general is in need of a major overhaul.

Graduate programs train students for jobs that most of them won't get:

OXFORD, England, April 27 /PRNewswire/ --

Can an airplane fly around the Earth powered only by solar energy? How can we observe what we can't see? Can we save the Internet? How does the brain create the mind? Can we back-up biodiversity?

These are just some of the questions that will be answered at the upcoming TEDGlobal conference, which will take place in Oxford, UK, on 21-24 July 2009.

PLEASANTON, California, April 27 /PRNewswire/ --

- One Size Doesn't Fit All

Today, Trapeze Networks, a Belden brand (NYSE: BDC), announced U.S. availability of its MP-82, an 802.11n dual-radio 2x3 MIMO indoor access point. With a list price of US$745.00, the MP-82 is a high-value access point ideally-suited for work spaces with a high number of computers, wireless handsets or PDAs needing Wi-Fi connectivity. The MP-82 is the newest member of Trapeze Networks line of NonStop Wireless network line of products.

FORNEBU, Norway, April 27 /PRNewswire/ --

- Airline will begin outfitting its fleet with in-flight Wi-Fi from Row 44 later this year

Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA, Europe's fifth largest low-cost carrier, announced today that it is equipping its entire fleet with high-speed in-flight broadband. The airline will use a satellite-based broadband solution from Row 44.

LONDON, April 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Lloyd's Broker, Bell Clements, is using Asset4000 asset management software from Real Asset Management http://www.realassetmgt.co.uk/ to manage its fixed asset register and IFRS compliance. Tight integration between the asset management software and current financial software enables rapid monthly asset depreciation within the fixed asset register by department, providing the company with accurate costings to support profitability analysis and IFRS compliance.

EDINBURGH, April 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Data from leading flight search company Skyscanner (http://www.Skyscanner.net) shows that travellers planning trips to Mexico have so far been undeterred by the outbreak of swine flu influenza announced by Mexico's Federal Health Ministry on the 22nd April.

Dire predictions have already been made about the impact that this will have on tourism, but the number of Skyscanner users searching for flights to Mexico has remained stable in the days since news emerged of the outbreak, said Skyscanner director and co-founder Barry Smith.

DITTON PARK, England, April 27 /PRNewswire/ --

- New and Enhanced Solutions Help CIOs Deliver Optimal Customer Experience, Drive Revenue and Increase IT Efficiency

CA, Inc. (NASDAQ: CA), the world's leading independent IT management software company, today announced 13 new and enhanced Enterprise IT Management (EITM) products that help CIOs achieve Lean IT by reducing waste, increasing productivity and improving the customer experience.

Lean IT allows CIOs to focus on what's most important-delivering value to their internal and external customers-while lowering costs.