 |
Science Fiction
Dictionary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
|
 |
Do Contagious Vaccines Work Better?
Researchers are working on contagious vaccines that would spread by themselves and thereby grant herd immunity even faster than a disease can ordinarily spread itself.
One vaccine known to be contagious – the oral polio vaccine (OPV) – is one of the rare vaccines known to spread between people. When taken, the weakened virus replicates in the child's intestines, helping their immune system to build up antibodies, before the vaccine is excreted.
"In areas of inadequate sanitation, this excreted vaccine-virus can spread in the immediate community (and this can offer protection to other children through ‘passive’ immunization), before eventually dying out," the World Health Organization.
Researchers captured 147 wild rabbits, before vaccinating about half of them against rabbit hemorrhagic disease and myxomatosis, before releasing all the rabbits – now microchipped – into the wild. Since the virus was similar enough to the original myxoma virus – which causes myxomatosis – the vaccine spread among the rabbits, and by the time they checked 32 days later, 56 percent of the non-vaccinated rabbits had antibodies to both viruses, suggesting some transmission of the vaccine.
This is a fascinating idea, and not entirely without precedent in the science fiction literature. The only real example I can think of occurs in The Puppet Masters, a 1951 novel by Robert Heinlein. In the story, a race of parasites spreads until most human beings have been taken over. Experiments are conducted to determine a contagious illness that will kill the host before killing the human. (Spoiler!) The plan works, with thousands of medics with the injectable cure being airdropped at the end to cure the now parasite-free humans.
Via IFLScience.
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 3/23/2022)
Follow this kind of news @Technovelgy.
| Email | RSS | Blog It | Stumble | del.icio.us | Digg | Reddit |
Would
you like to contribute a story tip?
It's easy:
Get the URL of the story, and the related sf author, and add
it here.
Comment/Join discussion ( 0 )
Related News Stories -
("
Medical
")
Brain Implant Is Able To Capture Your Inner Dialogue
'So you see, you can hide nothing from me.'
'Pregnancy Humanoids' From China Replace Moms
'A great many of these synthetic babies were made...' - David H. Keller, 1928.
Bacteria Turns Plastic Into Pain Relief? That Gives Me An Idea.
'I guess there's nobody round this table who doesn't have a Crosswell [tapeworm] working for him in the small intestine.'
Heart Patches Grown In The Lab Repair Hearts
I'm hoping that this procedure becomes a normal part of medical practice!
Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!)
is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for
the Invention Category that interests
you, the Glossary, the Invention
Timeline, or see what's New.
|
 |
Science Fiction
Timeline
1600-1899
1900-1939
1940's 1950's
1960's 1970's
1980's 1990's
2000's 2010's
Current News
RoboBallet The Dance Of Cooperative Robots
'...an integrated seven-unit robot team.'
Chrysalis Generation Ship to Alpha Centauri
'This was their world, their planet —
this swift-traveling, yet seemingly moveless vessel.'
Alexa+ And Its AI Brain Improvements
'What's it do?' he asked. 'It amuses.'
Does CloneRobotics Offer A True Android?
Is this What Little Girls Are Made Of?
Brain Implant Is Able To Capture Your Inner Dialogue
'So you see, you can hide nothing from me.'
Are AIs Going Rogue Like Hal 9000
'I know that you and Frank were planning to disconnect me...'
Animated Tumblebugs On Astounding Cover!
'Gaines and Harvey mounted tumblebugs, and kept abreast of the Cadet Captain...'
LingYuan Vehicle Roof Drones Now Available, ala Blade Runner 2049
Accompanied by a small selection of similar ideas from science fiction.
China Steals Strato Airship Design From Google App Engine
'...war-balloons, or, as it would be more correct to call them, navigable aerostats.'
The First Space Warship For Space Force
'Each of the electrical ships carried about twenty men...'
Biohybrid Jellyfish Explore The Ocean
As predicted, and detailed, by science fiction writers!
Should AIs and AI Robots Demand Rights?
'This robot is a creature... It is a manlike being. Therefore, like any other talking, thinking man, he is entitled to a court trial!'
Robot Learns Human Tool Usage By Imitation Learning
'I got one of those new electronic cameras...'
Companion Caregiver ChatGPT Dolls
'Every Artificial Friend is unique, right?'
'Pregnancy Humanoids' From China Replace Moms
'A great many of these synthetic babies were made...'
Man Builds 200 Foot Basement Firing Range
'The basement was huge... carved deep into the rock.'
More SF in the News Stories
More Beyond Technovelgy science news stories
|
 |