Influenza experts are acknowledging that they were almost completely surprised by the way the current swine flu outbreak unfolded, so much so it is forcing the world to rethink what a pandemic is and what pandemic preparedness means.

There is a new study out that contends fish feel pain. A professor at Purdue and his Norwegian graduate student attached small foil heaters to goldfish. Half of the goldfish were injected with morphine, half with saline, and then the researchers turned on the attached micro-toasters.

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- A plant's immune system protects the plant from harmful pathogens. If the system overreacts to pathogens, it can stunt plant growth and reduce seed production. Now, University of Missouri researchers have identified important suppressors that negatively regulate the responses of the immune system in the plant species Arabidopsis thaliana.

A new self-service buffet is making a pig’s breakfast of infection control at Coventry’s University Hospital, angry staff claim. The help-yourself spread was unveiled at the hospital’s main restaurant last week and is open to workers, patients and visitors. Shocked hospital workers say they were only warned about the change days earlier when a sign went up.