Short Takes – 4-30-24

Killer Asteroid Hunters Spot 27,500 Overlooked Space Rocks. NYTimes.com article. Pull quote: “The algorithm could increase the number of asteroids that Rubin can find, perhaps enough to meet a mandate passed by Congress in 2005 to locate 90 percent of near-Earth asteroids that are 460 feet in diameter or larger.”

TSA Conducts Comprehensive Security Exercise with Brenntag in Orlando. HSToday.us article. Pull quote: “This exercise highlighted the importance of neighborhood and customer stewardship, with Brenntag’s facility serving as a prime example of how businesses can work alongside government agencies to enhance security and preparedness. The involvement of such a diverse group of [30] observers and [25] participants underscored the shared responsibility and collective effort required to protect public spaces and critical infrastructure from potential threats.”

U.S. Needs to Better Track Bird Flu Spread in Farm Animals, Farm Workers, Epidemiologist Says. ScientificAmerican.com article. Pull quote: “On the ground, we really need to get a handle on where H5N1 is spreading and how. That comes through asymptomatic testing of animals and people, sharing genomic surveillance data with the global community and understanding wastewater trends. So certainly, a lot more work needs to be done.” Interesting ‘lessons learned’ comments from COVID pandemic.