Maryn McKenna

Journalist and Author

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Some Paranoia for Your Weekend: CONTAGION Trailer

July 15, 2011 By Maryn Leave a Comment

Warner Brothers has released the first trailer for CONTAGION, a Steven Soderbergh bio-thriller about an influenza strain gone virally rogue that will open Sept. 9. Quoting from the movie’s website:

“Contagion” follows the rapid progress of a lethal airborne virus that kills within days. As the fast-moving epidemic grows, the worldwide medical community races to find a cure and control the panic that spreads faster than the virus itself. At the same time, ordinary people struggle to survive in a society coming apart.

Delicious exchange from the trailer (zinger response from Laurence Fishburne):

“Is there anyway someone could weaponize the bird flu?”

“Someone doesn’t have to weaponize bird flu. The birds are doing that.”

Here’s the trailer. You are made of stern stuff if it doesn’t make you want to wash your hands. (I’ll be over here in the corner, rubbing mine together in scary-disease glee.)

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Filed Under: Science, Science Blogs, Superbug Tagged With: CDC, H5N1, influenza, Science Blogs, Video, Who

Bacterial music-video festival (tornado edition)

April 28, 2011 By Maryn Leave a Comment

We had scary-bad weather in the Southeast the past two days. Thankfully, there was no serious damage where I am, but the devastation to the north and west is appalling, with about 180 300 deaths so far. Please spare a thought for them.

It’s going to take me a while to haul my working materials back out from the storm shelter, and by storm shelter, I mean first-floor closet under the stairs behind the washing machine, which was about the only place that would have been protected from shattering glass and flying roof materials.

So in the meantime: This morning, Twitter tossed up a UK hospital’s attempt to energize its staff to wash their hands more frequently. It’s sweet, funny, and — apologies to the participants — unavoidably snark-inducing. Have a look: [Read more…]

Filed Under: Science, Science Blogs, Superbug Tagged With: MRSA, Science Blogs, Video

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