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NASA Satellites to Predict Disease Outbreaks

Posted by samzenpus on from the doctor-eye-in-the-sky dept.

coondoggie writes "NASA and its Applied Sciences Program will be using 14 satellites to watch the Earth's environment and help predict and prevent infectious disease outbreaks around the world. Through orbiting satellites, data is collected daily to monitor environmental changes. That information is then passed on to agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Defense who then apply the data to predict and track disease outbreaks and assist in making public health policy decisions. The use of remote sensing technology helps scientists predict the outbreak of some of the most common and deadly infectious diseases such as Ebola, West Nile virus and Rift Valley Fever."

3 of 67 comments (clear)

  1. Hmmm.... by kcbanner · · Score: 3, Insightful

    That information is then passed on to agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Defense Hmmm. So they are doing hardcore surveillance, but thats ok because its for saving the world...why does it need to be sent to the DoD? Hmm.
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  2. Re:Ebola, West Nile, Rift Valley by timmarhy · · Score: 1, Insightful
    good question.

    I suspect it's to do with the poor living conditions of the people and their close proximity to wild animals.

    remmeber asia is also a vector for deseases crossing the species barrier due to the fact humans there live in crowded homes with their livestock. eg. SARS which came from chickens.

    when a virus crosses a species barrier it's suddenly found a new host without defenses and who isn't adapted to it, so it spreads like wild fire and kills quickly.

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  3. It's called not giving a shit by CarpetShark · · Score: 2, Insightful

    What's the deal with all these weird diseases originating in that dark continent?


    For one thing, Africa is a BIG place, with high temperatures, etc.

    More importantly though... people are dying of AIDS and starvation, and we do nothing about it. What do you expect to happen, when you ignore an entire continent's need of help. The answer is: it comes back and bites you in the ass.