When Weather Forecasts Disease

i-617b15a0a360949d87db5ce74b73e337-art.lightning.jpgNOAA's Conrad Lautenbacher describes it as 'science without borders': Scientists around the world are converging data on health, weather, behavior, and disasters to anticipate illness and prepare for pandemics.

It's called the Global Earth Observation System of Systems, recognizing that patterns and behaviors all about planet earth are intimately connected. Man-made delineations aside, we truly are One World and I'm encouraged that 73 countries and more than 50 international organizations have joined so far:

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A cyclone wrecks coastal Myanmar, spawning outbreaks of malaria, cholera and dengue fever. Flooding inundates Iowa, raising an array of public health concerns. As these disasters draw attention to weather hazards, which many fear could be exacerbated by climate change, scientists are working to be able to better predict health dangers as they forecast the weather.

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It seems obvious to do it but it's good they finally are.