Israel will create an international genetic database to identify victims of last month’s tsunami, according to reports on the Science and Development Network.
The proposal was accepted by all nations involved.
Many victims cannot be identified without using DNA fingerprinting to match their genetic material with that of their families. Israeli forensic scientists are considered experts in this technique because of the country’s experience with suicide bombers.
According to CNSNews.com, forensic scientists would attempt to match samples taken from victims’ bodies with those supplied by concerned family members. Samples will be analysed in China, which has large enough facilities to handle the volume of samples and has offered to do the work for free.
Researchers are gearing up for a massive international effort to collect the data needed on tsunamis in the Bay of Bengal region.
In an article by Yudhijit Bhattacharjee in the journal Science, scientists are hunting down information in order to improve models of how tsunami are formed and to establish a warning system in the Indian Ocean.
Surveys to discover how tall and fast the waves were, for instance, will be used to refine computer simulations and pinpoint the most vulnerable coastal areas.
Such predictions are hard to make accurately, as sea floors are uneven and coastlines often jagged. But the governments of India, Indonesia and Thailand are determined to fill this knowledge gap fast, and are committing millions of dollars to the new warning systems.
Meanwhile, Britain’s most senior scientist has urged political leaders in both developed and developing countries to view money spent on science and technology as an investment in preventing the worst effects of diseases and natural disasters.
“That is much better than having to spend the money on emergency relief aid to respond to a crisis that could have been reduced or averted,” said Lord May of Oxford, president of the Royal Society and former chief scientific advisor to the government of the United Kingdom.
He described as “tragically short-sighted” the fact that discussions initiated two years ago about an early warning system for tsunamis in the Indian Ocean were not given greater priority.
“The developed countries must provide long-term investment in the scientific potential of poor nations,” said May, commenting on a new report that has been produced for the United Nations on the role of science and technology in meeting the Millennium Development Goals.
He urged the United Kingdom to lead the way by allocating funds for building the scientific capacity of developing countries. And he added that Britain should use its presidency of the G8 group of leading industrialised nations to persuade other countries to do the same.
The UN report “makes clear that without a greater focus on science, technology and innovation, and the investment to match, we will not be able to achieve the Millennium Development Goals,” said May. “That would be a tragic missed opportunity to improve the lives of billions of people.”
But world leaders have pledged aid to the nations affected by last month’s tsunami which includes a promise to set up an early warning system for the Indian Ocean similar to that in the Pacific Ocean.
It is hoped this would save lives should a similar event happen again by giving people on the coastlines time to clear the area, says BBC Online. — SciDev.Net