DOE/LANL Jurisdiction Fire Danger Rating:
  1. LANL Home
  2. media
  3. news
April 22, 2025

Can we forecast viral outbreaks like we forecast the weather?

2025-03-22
Workers collect a wastewater sample at the Bioscience Lab Office, Operations, and Management building in Los Alamos.

Early warnings allow us to prepare for the unpredictable. We are notified when the weather turns ugly, if there’s a traffic jam on the drive to work, or if the airport changes our departure gate. But one of the most widespread, unpredictable moments everyone will experience is sickness—even if it’s only the common cold—and yet, we have practically no early-warning system to alert us as a virus spreads through the community.

We’ve all learned how to help keep illness at bay: washing hands more frequently or choosing to stay home. But knowing when to take these precautions requires forewarning, which is why Los Alamos National Laboratory is developing technologies that could alert a state, a city, even a specific airport, of disease outbreak.

Read the column.

Contact

Media Relations | media_relations@lanl.gov

Related Topics
  • Science, Technology & Engineering

Share

Explore More Topics
About the LabArtificial IntelligenceAwards and RecognitionsCommunityComputingEnergyHistoryOperationsScience, Technology & EngineeringSpaceWeapons

More Stories

All News
2026-03-30

New technology enhances neutron detection capabilities

ICONS could improve a variety of applications

2026-03-25

AI model successfully trained in electroplating

Innovative model and experiment demonstrates capabilities for materials science

2026-03-19

Controls developed to reshape quantum arrow of time

Researchers explore ways to stretch, blur and even reverse quantum time flow

2026-03-17

Could fiber-optic cables detect moonquakes?

Researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory explore how these inexpensive, robust cables could help future moon missions

2026-02-25

MicroBooNE results point to new directions in search for sterile neutrinos

One model is disfavored by results, though other mechanisms may be possible

2026-02-18

AI accelerates elucidation of nuclear forces with explosive neutron star data

Innovative machine learning connects nuclear forces with neutron stars

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Sign up to receive the latest news and feature stories from Los Alamos National Laboratory