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Bad Guests, Ideal Hosts


Flying foxes that killed about 60 of the Royal Botanic Garden's heritage trees in Sydney have finally gotten the push.

They may be annoying houseguests, but, like all Chiroptera, they're perfect hosts. For viruses, that is. Ebola, Marburg, coronaviruses (including SARS), and rabies have all been found in bats, but as carriers, they escape infection themselves. My article in New Scientist takes a look at two newly emerged bat-borne viruses and a breakthrough in the development of an effective therapy against both.

Volcano Love

Surtsey emerging from the sea in 1963 by Sigurður Þórarinsson.

I had a great time finding photos for my profile of James White, professor of volcanology in New Zealand. The story is about White's research into phreatomagmatic eruptions, the dangerously explosive variety that blast steam and dust particles sky-high when ground or sea water connects with magma.