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Bee Disorder May Be Starting Again This Year in Florida
Unexplained honeybee deaths have recently started showing up in Florida, the same state where the mysterious Colony Collapse Disorder was first discovered a year ago, the Agriculture Department's top bee scientist said Thursday. CDC Should Do More in Shaping Climate Change Response, Gerberding Says Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is "uniquely poised" to deal with emerging health threats, the director of the Atlanta-based center said Tuesday, it has not done enough to help shape the world's response to climate change. Genetic 'Doping' Will Change Sports, Scientists Say The use of genetic engineering to enhance athletic performance is poised to set off an "arms race" that could destroy the meaning of sports and create new dangers for children, experts said Monday. Oversight of Labs Handling Dangerous Germs Called Lax The number of laboratories being built for the study of dangerous microbes is growing so rapidly that no one knows how much Americans are at risk from diseases caused by laboratory accidents, congressional investigators warned Thursday. Dell Vows to Become 'Carbon Neutral' Dell Inc. declared Wednesday that it will become the country's first "carbon neutral" computer manufacturer next year by making its operations more efficient, buying more energy from renewable sources and planting millions of trees. 'Whole New World' of Disease Discovery Scientists in the past few months have glimpsed a near future when infectious diseases will be diagnosed almost instantly — and possibly even anticipated before they exist. Researchers Point to Fruits as Alzheimer's Preventative Some scientists are beginning to think that eating certain fruits and nuts may delay old-age problems like Alzheimer's disease. Pandemic Plan Vague in Spots, GAO Reports Although billions of dollars have been spent to prepare for a feared influenza pandemic, troubling gaps still exist in the government's strategy for coping with a rapidly spreading disease, a new congressional report says. Secret EPA Report Provided to Popcorn Makers Over a year after they were given the secret results of an Environmental Protection Agency study of potential health risks of a chemical in microwave popcorn, major popcorn producers have begun removing the substance from their product. Newly Discovered Virus Linked to Honeybee Dieoff A newly discovered virus, possibly imported from China or Australia, has been linked to the baffling plague that decimated thousands of U.S. honeybee colonies last year, scientists revealed Thursday. New Plant to Increase Coke Recycling of Plastic Bottles The Coca-Cola Co. announced Wednesday it will help finance construction of the world's largest recycling plant capable of producing food-grade plastic from old beverage bottles. Federal Toxicology Agency Faces Review Buffeted by charges of mismanagement and conflicts of interest, the agency responsible for federal research on environmental causes of disease will be subjected to a "comprehensive" review of financial and ethical issues, the National Institutes of Health announced Tuesday. Virginia Woman's Tumor May Someday Explain the Science of Aging Henrietta Lacks never knew of the incredible gift she left to the world. CDC Helps Millions Get Accurate Health Information from TV Cassie Newman's father sang to her when she died. Her mother held her hand. Mutant Flu Virus Could Hold Key to Fighting Bird Flu Pandemic Government scientists say they have created mutant viruses that could help them understand how a human "bird flu" pandemic might start and how they might fight it. Scientific Panel Downplays Risk of Widely Used Chemical A government scientific advisory panel on Wednesday downplayed the risk to humans from bisphenol A, a widely used hormone-mimicking chemical that a private panel of experts only last week called a "great cause for concern." Scientists Link Widely Used Chemical to Health Problems in Animals A pervasive hormone-mimicking chemical is in the blood of virtually every American at levels that can cause cancer, genital abnormalities, diabetes and behavioral disorders in laboratory animals, a panel of experts said Thursday. Low-Sugar Watermelons Bred by Agriculture Dept. Turning the centuries-long search for sweeter and sweeter watermelons on its head, Department of Agriculture plant breeders have developed a low-sugar variety. 'Plug-In' Cars Seen Saving Millions of Tons of Greenhouse Gases U.S. consumption of petroleum could be reduced by 3 million to 4 million barrels a day if enough Americans purchased "plug-in" hybrid vehicles, environmentalists and power industry researchers said Thursday. Pantex Guards Said Using Grenade Launchers with No Darkness Sights Guards responsible for protecting the Pantex nuclear weapons plant near Amarillo, Texas, have been armed with grenade launchers that are not equipped with reduced-visibility sighting systems, a private nonprofit watchdog group said Wednesday. Savannah River Laboratory Praised at Hearing The University of Georgia's Savannah River Ecology Laboratory faces elimination because of a concerted effort by top Energy Department officials to kill it, members of Congress charged Tuesday. U.S. Study Says More Than 10 Million Workers Substance Abusers Nearly one in 12 of America's full-time workers — over 10 million people — have illicit drug or alcohol abuse problems serious enough to require treatment, according to a government report being released Monday. Surgeon General Nominee 'Would Resign' If Pressured Politically President Bush's nominee for surgeon general told senators Thursday that he would resign the post before yielding to White House political or ideological pressure to suppress scientific facts. Company 'Retails Knowledge' for Lifelong Learners The drive from Nenana down to Cantwell on the Parks Highway in central Alaska is 150 miles, many of them out of reach of radio stations. Child Cancer Survivors Urge Congress to Preserve Research Funding Child cancer survivors, their parents and their doctors appealed to Congress Tuesday to reverse budget decisions they said would effectively reduce federal support for pediatric cancer research. EPA to Propose Tighter Smog Standards The Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday will propose reducing the allowable concentration of ozone in the air by up to 12 percent, industry representatives and state pollution officials said Wednesday. Southern Co. Says Energy Measure Would Cost $13 Billion A Senate measure that would require electric utilities to produce a portion of the electricity they sell from renewable energy would cost Atlanta-based Southern Co. billions of dollars, a spokesman said. Genome Scientist Sees God's Hand in Evolution God loves mathematics. Cheney's Office Joins Intensifying Debate over New Ozone Rules With a week to go before the Environmental Protection Agency must propose a new set of limits on ozone in the air, industries have appealed to the White House to block stricter limits. Black Sculptor Was Dropped from Head of King Project A black American sculptor was retained a year ago to create a statue of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. for the national King memorial, but was abruptly dropped from the project in favor of a Chinese sculptor. Ocean Treasure Company Has a Murky History A Florida company that claims to have raised tons of treasure from a sunken ship in the Atlantic Ocean has a legal history almost as murky as the deep-sea waters where its salvage equipment operates. State Officials Oppose Tougher Ozone Pollution Rules With state officials in Georgia, Texas and elsewhere opposing tougher rules, the Environmental Protection Agency has three weeks to propose new limits on the amount of unhealthful ozone it will allow in the air. Suspected Carcinogen in Food Wrappings Now Omnipresent New studies by university researchers and scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that a chemical designated as a likely human carcinogen is present in the blood of nearly every American, including newborn infants. Atlantan to Oversee Design of Adams Memorial Atlanta architectural designer Rodney M. Cook Jr. has been named to coordinate the design of a memorial for former Presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams and their wives. Bus Transit Advocates Say Rail Gets Too Much Support Advocates of "bus rapid transit" say the country is wasting billions of dollars to build glitzy urban rail systems when people can travel more cheaply and with less environmental impact by bus. CDC Needs $1 Billion Budget Increase, Director Says Because of "urgent realities" and "urgent threats," the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention needs a budget increase of roughly $1 billion this year, the director of the Atlanta-based institution has told Congress. Bee Experts Look To Pesticides, Diseases, Stress Scientists and worried beekeepers agreed Tuesday to explore pesticide poisoning, diseases, parasites and management practices in an effort to find out why billions of honeybees have died in the past six months. Studies Strengthen Links Between Hormones, Women's Cancer Separate studies reported Wednesday by scientists in the United States and Britain strengthen the links between hormone replacement therapy and cancer in older women. CDC Director Calls Autism an 'Urgent' Concern Autism is an "urgent" concern of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, its director Dr. Julie Gerberding told senators Tuesday. Greenhouse Gas Emissions Linked To Population Although Southeastern and Gulf Coast states have accounted for some of the country's largest emissions of carbon dioxide in recent years, the increases appear modest compared with the states' population and economic growth. House Falls Short Of Veto-Proof Margin In Stem Cell Vote The House voted Thursday to lift President Bush's ban on federally funded research involving embryonic stem cells, but fell far short of the 290 votes it would need to override a promised veto. Courts Deal Setbacks To Bush Environmental Policies Lawyers who have the job of defending President Bush's environmental policies have had it rough this year. Former CDC Heads Warn Of Morale Problems Former directors of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned Tuesday that morale problems and questions of scientific integrity pose a challenge to the centers' future role in U.S. public health. Supreme Court Says Greenhouse Gases Are 'Pollutants' In a decision that could lead to broad regulation of greenhouse gases as pollutants, the Supreme Court ruled Monday that the EPA must consider putting controls on carbon dioxide and other gases in automobile exhaust. Supreme Court Reinstates EPA Power Plant Lawsuits The Supreme Court ruled Monday that lower courts misread the Clean Air Act when they threw out an EPA lawsuit claiming that Duke Energy skirted rules aimed at curbing pollution from coal-burning power plants. Government Urged To Examine Nanotech's Risks The government urgently needs to come up with a clear strategy for understanding the environmental and health dangers of the emerging nanotechnology industry, according to exasperated members of Congress, public interest groups and even some nanotech companies. Court Rules Packers Can Test For 'Mad Cow' Disease In Meat In a ruling consumer advocates hope will someday cause all beef products in America to be tested for "mad cow" disease, a federal judge has thrown out a government regulation that had blocked one company's efforts to conduct the tests. USDA Moving Too Slowly On Bee Crisis, Congressman Says The U.S. Department of Agriculture has failed to grasp the urgency of a mysterious plague that has killed millions of honeybees, threatening billions of dollars worth of crops that depend on the insect pollinators, the chairman of a House subcommittee charged Thursday. Energy Alternatives Compete For Leverage In what one industry representative calls a struggle for supremacy, advocates of various sources of alternative energy are beginning to point out the competition's warts. Flu Pandemic Threatens Recession, Group Says A full-blown influenza pandemic on the scale of the "great flu" of 1918 would cost the country's economy $683 billion in the second worst recession since World War II, a nonprofit group warned Thursday. Gore Takes Global Warming Campaign To Congress Former Vice President Al Gore took his global warming campaign to Congress Wednesday, declaring that the problem is "by far the most serious" the country has ever faced and calling for an immediate freeze on emissions of carbon dioxide. Facts Lacking On LNG Explosions, Investigators Say With liquefied natural gas imports expected to increase rapidly in the next decade, too little is known about the consequences of explosions on board the tankers that carry the super-cooled fuel, congressional investigators warned Wednesday. Global Warming Politics Getting Hotter In Congress Former Vice President Al Gore is to testify this week before a House committee about climate change, an issue that has fueled a political struggle between two of the chamber's most powerful members. Indonesia Blocking Access To Bird Flu Virus International health officials will try this month to persuade officials of Indonesia to lift a virus embargo that is hampering efforts to prepare for a possible bird flu pandemic. Industry Sway On Government Decisions Assailed In a stinging criticism of agencies responsible for protecting Americans from dangerous drugs and chemicals, a senior National Institutes of Health scientist has charged that pervasive industry-funded research is used to delay and block government action. Urban Commuters Breathing Diesel Soot Urban commuters breathe air that contains levels of dangerous dust and soot that is often eight times higher than downtown air, environmental activists said Wednesday. Possible Responses To Counterfeiters: Plastic Money And Bills That Talk Plastic money, bills with built-in magnifying glasses, and even audible money are among technologies the government could use to "stay a step or two ahead of counterfeiters," a National Academies committee said Monday. Almost Abandoned, Children's Health Study Is Funded A massive study of the environmental and genetic factors that make American kids sick has been rescued from termination by a new infusion of cash. Former FDA Heads See An Agency In Trouble Four former commissioners of the Food and Drug Administration agreed Wednesday that distracting controversies and political interference with scientific decisions have damaged the agency's ability to ensure drug safety. Vaccine Problems Stall Promise Of Atlanta Doctors' Rotavirus Breakthrough More than 30 years after two Atlanta physicians glimpsed the first evidence that a germ called rotavirus was killing hundreds of thousands of children, efforts to create a vaccine have encountered repeated frustrations. Women's Sexual Satisfaction Linked To The Way Men Smell Male odors that a woman subconsciously recognizes may have a more potent effect on her romantic feelings than good looks, poems or Valentine roses galore. CDC Budget For Core Activities Is Cut The core programs of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would receive nearly $500 million less next year under President Bush's proposed federal budget than they got two years ago, according to an analysis by a nonprofit CDC advocacy group. Ethanol's Path To Political Popularity Was A Twisting One President Bush's proposal to dramatically increase the nation's use of ethanol to 35 billion gallons a year marks the culmination of a long political effort to boost the alternative fuel. Government Scientists Say They Were Muzzled On Global Warming Scores of federal scientists say they have been pressured to tone down scientific findings related to climate change, two nonprofit advocacy groups reported Tuesday. Nuke Plants Not Required To Withstand Terrorist Strike By Air The government ordered nuclear power plant operators Monday to enhance security against attacks by terrorists using land vehicles, boats and computers, but declined to require protection against attacks from the sky. Book Tells Of Parents For Whom 'No Cure' Wasn't An Answer The pediatrician's hands were trembling when he gave John and Aileen Crowley the devastating news about their 1-year-old daughter. TXU Begins Global Warming Campaign For New Coal Plants Officials of TXU Corp. tried this week to convince skeptical members of Congress that the Texas utility's plans for building 11 new coal-burning power plants in the next decade will be compatible with efforts to control emissions of carbon dioxide. Ethanol Mandate Seen Disrupting Food Supply President Bush's proposal to increase America's use of ethanol fuel to 35 billion gallons a year in less than a decade would send a shock wave through the nation's food supply, industry analysts said Thursday. Major Industries Endorse Mandatory Climate Change Action The heads of 10 major U.S. corporations Monday urged Congress to require mandatory reductions in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, declaring that action is needed "as soon as possible." Global Measles Deaths Decline By 60 Percent A campaign to vaccinate children for measles has exceeded its goal, reducing deaths from the highly contagious disease by over 60 percent in five years, an international team of health officials announced Thursday. Global Measles Deaths Decline By 60 Percent A campaign to vaccinate children for measles has exceeded its goal, reducing deaths from the highly contagious disease by over 60 percent in five years, an international team of health officials announced Thursday. House Approves Bill To Tax Oil And Gas, Fund Alternative Energy Brushing aside objections from Republicans and warnings from industry, House Democrats on Thursday pushed through the last item on their "100 hours" agenda, a bill to impose $15 billion in taxes, fees and royalties on oil and gas companies and spend the money on development of renewable fuels. Climate Change Advocates Feel A Ground Swell Evangelical leaders and climate scientists on Wednesday issued a joint "call for action," warning President Bush and members of Congress that with problems like global warming "business as usual cannot continue yet one more day." White House Withdraws Directive On Risk The White House says it will try again to write standards for federal agencies performing one of their fuzziest yet most important functions — determining risk. EPA Puzzled By Tons Of 'Missing Mercury' At Plants More than two years after the Environmental Protection Agency admitted it does not know what happens to tons of toxic mercury used in chemical plants in Georgia, Ohio and four other states, the agency says it is still "reviewing" the matter. House Falls Short Of Veto-Proof Margin In Stem Cell Vote The House voted Thursday to lift President Bush's ban on federally funded research involving embryonic stem cells, but fell far short of the 290 votes it would need to override a promised veto. Temperatures Rising In Climate Debate Advocates and opponents of mandatory limits on greenhouse gases are preparing for a global warming debate that is heating up even faster than the globe itself. This Year's Flu Vaccine Problem: Too Many Expensive Leftovers After several years of trouble providing flu vaccine to all who wanted it, many clinics and health departments now find themselves with extra shots they can't give away. Nuclear Weapons Plant Plagued By Mishaps, U.S. Reports Show The Pantex nuclear weapons plant near Amarillo, Texas, where an anonymous employee letter recently warned of "unthinkable" hazards, has been plagued in recent years with accidents and safety violations, government records show. Arctic Vault Will Protect The World's Seeds On a Norwegian island a few hundred miles from the North Pole, a consortium of nations is beginning work Monday on a supersafe repository for "the world's most precious asset" — its seeds. You're Gonna Need An Ocean Of Calamine Lotion Scientists have come up with something new to worry about if the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere continues to rise: It'll make you itch. 'New Era' In Cancer Treatment Won't Be Easy An explosion of scientific discovery growing out of the success in decoding the human genome has put America on the threshold of "an unprecedented new era" in its struggle against cancer and many other diseases, says the head of the National Cancer Institute. Opposing Sides Find Some Common Ground On Sexual Health Organizations traditionally at odds over almost anything involving sex said Thursday that former Surgeon General David Satcher had led them to a limited consensus on America's most debated health topic. Evidence Lacking Of Diet Supplements' Benefit, Scientists Say Although tens of millions of Americans take vitamin and mineral supplements in the hope of feeling better and living longer, there is little evidence that most of the substances are effective — or even safe, scientists said Wednesday. University Of Texas' Kuperman Fights U.S. Uranium Exports A Canadian company's successful effort to get the United States to relax a nuclear proliferation law is starting to bear fruit as the Energy Department prepares to sell it 34 pounds of bomb-grade uranium. Battle Shaping Up Over Small Business Health Coverage A bill sponsors say will make it easier for small businesses to provide health insurance for their employees would also allow insurance companies to duck out of state requirements that they cover mammograms and certain other medical procedures, critics say. Bush Team Joins Fight For Beleagured Cape Cod Wind Farm The Energy Department joined environmentalists Friday in defending a plan to install huge electric power windmills off the Cape Cod beaches enjoyed by rich and powerful Americans. Q&A With Bush's Biodefense Advisor Dr. Rejeev Venkayya, special assistant to President Bush for biodefense and primary author of the federal pandemic illness strategy, discussed his job with Jeff Nesmith of Cox Newspapers. Presidential Assistant For Pandemic Readiness Showed His Pluck Early The first item on Dr. Rajeev Venkayya's to-do list is imposing: get the country ready for an influenza pandemic that could kill 2 million Americans. Lawsuits Charge Thousands Received Stolen Body Tissues Nearly 100 persons who received grafts of heart valves, skin, bone and other human tissue in Atlanta hospitals during the past two years have been told by their surgeons that the grafts had been stolen from funeral home corpses and may be diseased. CDC Budget Would Be Drastically Cut The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention acknowledged Tuesday that the agency's core funding for next year will be cut under President Bush's proposed federal budget. Bush Budget Cut Would 'Stagger' Local Air Pollution Agencies State and local air pollution officials warned Tuesday that the loss of federal grants next year could "stagger" many clean air programs across the country. 'Patent Trolls' A Bane Of Industry, But Saviors To Some Inventors Paul Ware says he watched helplessly for years while major retail chains used his patented system of electronically processing credit card transactions. Bird Flu May Be More Common, But Less Severe Than Thought Some disease experts are beginning to wonder if human cases of the dreaded H5N1 "bird flu" are more common — and less severe — than was previously thought. Supreme Court Case Will Test Federal Wetlands Protections In a case that pits the Bush administration against many of its traditional allies on environmental issues, the Supreme Court will hear arguments next week that could redefine the federal government's power to protect wetlands. Irked EPA Scientists To Send Agency Pictures Of Air Pollution Environmental Protection Agency scientific advisers agreed Friday to send agency administrator Steve Johnson photos of polluted air in hopes the agency will tighten its proposed controls on dust and soot pollution. Drug Company Gifts Undermine Medical Care, Article Warns In a sweeping warning about the quality of medical care in America, representatives of medical schools and research centers said Tuesday that drug company gifts to physicians should be prohibited. EPA Advisors Unhappy Over Air Particulates Decision Scientists recruited to advise the Environmental Protection Agency on air pollution will confer next month to vent their frustration over the agency's failure to order reductions in the amount of soot and dust in the air Americans breathe. Government To Investigate W. Va. Mine Explosion Labor Department officials said Wednesday that West Virginia's Sago Coal Mine has had an above-average number of potentially fatal safety violations in recent years. |
Jeff Nesmith Jeff Nesmith began his newspaper career as an obituary writer on The Atlanta Constitution in 1964. He was an investigative reporter on the Philadelphia Bulletin for three years before joining the Cox Washington Bureau in 1977. He concentrates on stories about science, health and the environment. Jeff Nesmith and Russell Carollo of the Dayton Daily News won the 1998 Pulitzer Prize in National Reporting for their series "Unnecessary Danger: Military Medicine." Cox Newspapers Washington Bureau 400 North Capitol St., N.W., Suite 750 Washington, D.C. 20001-1536 Phone: 202-331-0900 |
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