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Far-UVC, a technology initially developed as a way to combat COVID-19, is now being evaluated for its ability to prevent disease transmission among birds in poultry facilities. Researchers are evaluating whether Far-UVC light can help prevent highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) from spreading through commercial poultry barns. The project, supported by an HPAI Poultry Innovation Grand Challenge Award, will examine whether the technology can continuously reduce airborne virus levels and serve as an additional biosecurity measure. Columbia University researcher David Welch noted that far-UVC systems are already available, but scientists must determine how effective they are in agricultural environments and how [...]

Rapidly declining government preparedness gaps and public mistrust could turn a single biological incident into a worldwide crisis. Investigative journalist Annie Jacobsen discusses her book Biological Warfare: A Scenario, which examines how a severe biological incident, whether caused by an attack, accident, or laboratory leak, could rapidly destabilize society. Biological threats may be especially dangerous because pathogens can spread invisibly through people and across borders. Airborne pathogens receive particular attention because they can remain suspended indoors and spread through ordinary human breathing and movement. One of the biggest thing to note is that biotechnology inherently has "dual-use". The same genetic-engineering tools [...]

The CDC reported in its Respiratory Illnesses Data Channel update that whooping cough continues to spread throughout the United States this summer. Whooping cough, or pertussis, continued circulating across the United States during summer 2026, even though overall respiratory-illness activity was relatively low. Based on CDC surveillance through late May, approximately 4,724 cases and two child deaths had been reported. Although case numbers were substantially lower than during the unusually high levels recorded in 2025, the disease remained a public-health concern, particularly in California, Washington, Ohio, Florida, and Oregon. Pertussis is a highly contagious bacterial respiratory infection that can affect people [...]

Officials have not yet determined the original source of the contamination, which has caused illness in more than 72 people over the past month. During a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak affecting New York City’s Upper East Side, more than six dozen people became ill over approximately one month. Though health officials said no new patients had developed symptoms during the preceding 10 days, indicating that the outbreak is slowing down. At the time of the report, eight patients remained hospitalized, while 56 had been discharged. Legionnaires’ disease is a treatable form of pneumonia caused by inhaling water droplets contaminated with Legionella. The [...]

Harnessing Far-UVC Light to Combat Airborne Diseases in Public Spaces Columbia University’s Center for Radiological Research is studying Far-UVC light as a method for reducing airborne disease transmission in occupied public spaces. Focusing on wavelengths around 220–222 nanometers, which can inactivate airborne microorganisms such as influenza viruses, coronaviruses, and bacteria, the goal of the study is to prevent infections by destroying pathogens while they are still circulating in the air rather than treating people after they become sick. Though conventional germicidal ultraviolet light (GUV) can also kill airborne pathogens, it can still damage the skin and eyes when directly exposed. Columbia’s [...]