Metal shelves densely packed with preserved tissue specimens of various sizes, all suspended in glass containers.
Evolution of 1918 Flu Virus Traced from Century-Old Samples
The work reveals that the pandemic flu was likely the direct predecessor of the seasonal H1N1 flu that circulated for decades.
ABOVE: NAVENA WIDULIN, BERLIN
Evolution of 1918 Flu Virus Traced from Century-Old Samples
Evolution of 1918 Flu Virus Traced from Century-Old Samples

The work reveals that the pandemic flu was likely the direct predecessor of the seasonal H1N1 flu that circulated for decades.

The work reveals that the pandemic flu was likely the direct predecessor of the seasonal H1N1 flu that circulated for decades.

ABOVE: NAVENA WIDULIN, BERLIN
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pandemic flu

Illustration of a targeted virus over a world map
The Hunt for a Pandemic’s Origins
Martha Nelson | Jan 4, 2022
Dozens of researchers, including myself, worked for years to uncover that swine flu had leapt to humans from a pig in Mexico in 2009. We learned a lot about influenza evolution, pig farming, and outbreak risk along the way.
Illustration of a world map showing a truck going from the US to Mexico, a plane going from Europe to Mexico, and a pig surrounded by various viruses in Mexico
Infographic: How H1N1 Came to Spark a Pandemic in 2009
Martha Nelson | Jan 4, 2022
The pathogen known as swine flu evolved in pigs in Mexico following imports of the livestock from the US and Europe.
An illustration with a world map, pigs, and viruses
Timeline: Investigating the Origins of the 2009 Pandemic
Martha Nelson | Jan 4, 2022
Seven years of surveillance and research revealed the complex history of the H1N1 virus that leapt from pigs to humans and sparked the global swine flu outbreak.
a veterinarian in a white hazmat suit holding a small pig
The Long Journey to Resolve the Origins of a Previous Pandemic
Martha Nelson | Sep 2, 2021
Dozens of researchers, including myself, worked for years to uncover that swine flu had leapt to humans from a pig in Mexico in 2009. We learned a lot about influenza evolution, pig farming, and outbreak risk along the way.
Photograph from 1918 influenza pandemic shows mask-wearing women holding stretchers at backs of ambulances in Saint Louis, Missouri.
100-Year-Old Lungs Yield Genetic Samples of 1918 Flu Viruses
Christie Wilcox | May 18, 2021
Influenza RNA sequences from three sets of lungs preserved in formalin since 1918 provide new insights into the deadly pandemic.
A Challenge Trial for COVID-19 Would Not Be the First of Its Kind
Jef Akst | Oct 8, 2020
Although scientists debate the ethics of deliberately infecting volunteers with SARS-CoV-2, plenty of consenting participants have been exposed to all sorts of pathogens in prior trials.
Swine Flu Strain Has Pandemic Potential: Study
Jef Akst | Jun 30, 2020
An influenza virus identified in pigs in China has a concerning mix of genes, but experts say there is no way to know if it will evolve to be transmissible between humans.
Confronting a Pandemic, 1957
Catherine Offord | Jun 1, 2020
Microbiologist Maurice Hilleman foresaw the global spread of a novel influenza strain in 1957. His vaccine saved hundreds of thousands of lives.
Dogs in Southern China Host Several Strains of Flu
Sukanya Charuchandra | Jun 6, 2018
They may be a prospective source for an influenza pandemic, researchers warn.  
First Human Case of H7N4 Bird Flu Confirmed
Shawna Williams | Feb 15, 2018
The woman, a resident of southeast China, has since recovered.
Gene Transfer Beats Some Flu Strains
Dan Cossins | May 31, 2013
Mice and ferrets are protected from several deadly viruses when genes encoding “broadly neutralizing antibodies” are delivered into their nasal passages.
Five Mutations Make H5N1 Airborne
Sabrina Richards | Jun 21, 2012
The second of the two controversial bird flu papers is published in Science, revealing that just five mutations can render the virus transmissible between ferrets.
Bird Flu Papers to Publish
Sabrina Richards | Apr 2, 2012
Biosecurity board recommends publication of data detailing transmissibility of H5N1 avian influenza.
Deliberating Over Danger
The Scientist Staff | Apr 1, 2012
The creation of H5N1 bird flu strains that are transmissible between mammals has thrown the scientific community into a heated debate about whether such research should be allowed and how it should be regulated.
Bird Flu Debate Continues
Hannah Waters | Mar 8, 2012
A series of articles published in open access journal mBio underscores the variety in opinion on whether a transmissible H5N1 strain should be studied.