BIRD FLU DEATH
The bird flu sweeping the Netherlands has claimed a human victim. A 57-year-old vet who had visited an infected farm died of flu-related pneumonia last week. 杏吧原创s are now sequencing the bird flu virus from his lungs to see if it has mutated into a more serious human pathogen. Previous hopes that the bird virus had stopped spreading to humans have faded, with cases now totalling 82, including six of human-to-human transmission. There were no significant mutations found in previous cases.
ANIMAL RIGHTS INJUNCTION
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Employees of the British animal-testing firm Huntingdon Life Sciences last week received an unprecedented level of legal protection from intimidation and harassment by animal-rights activists.
A ground-breaking injunction prevents protesters from coming within 50 metres of employees鈥� homes, and outlaws a range of harassment tactics used in the past. HLS is hoping that the temporary injunction, which comes up for review in a month鈥檚 time, will be made permanent.
DELAY FOR TELESCOPE
The launch of SIRTF, NASA鈥檚 infrared space telescope, has been postponed because of problems with the Boeing Delta II rocket that was to launch it. Engineers need to replace one of the rocket鈥檚 nine motors, because the lining of the engine nozzle was coming loose.
SIRTF will now have to wait until at least mid-August, after the launches of NASA鈥檚 two Mars Exploration Rovers, currently scheduled for 6 and 25 June. They too rely on Delta II rockets, and must launch by mid-July to reach Mars.