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Hot Topics

Hot Topics

To help you introduce newsworthy biology topics into your classroom, BioEd Online periodically produces short topical summaries and annotated slide sets on science “Hot Topics” that are receiving national attention. Each digital slide set contains slides, speaker’s notes, and keywords. Slides can be viewed in sets or accessed individually to create customized presentations, and all slides can be downloaded to, and viewed on computers or mobile devices.

To access the slides, click on a title below or choose a title from the “Hot Topics” menu to the right. (Delete the word, “Slides” from the header in the right-hand column.) If you have questions about how to use the slide sets, visit the Help/FAQ link below or contact us directly.

  • Flu Basics

    Flu BasicsSlide Set

    The flu is a contagious disease caused by the influenza type A, B, and C viruses. It spreads through the air, and can produce high fever, headache, sore throat, non-productive and dry cough, muscle aches, some gastrointestinal problems, and extreme tiredness. More than 200,000 persons are hospitalized in the US each year due to flu.

  • Mad Cow Disease

    Mad Cow DiseaseSlide Set

    Mad Cow Disease (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) is an illness that attacks the brain and spinal cord in adult cattle. The name “Mad Cow Disease” comes from the strange behavior and symptoms seen in cattle that have the disease. Scientists have hypothesized that humans could contract BSE by consuming parts of the nervous system from infected cattle.

  • STDs and Teens

    STDs and TeensSlide Set

    A recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that 3.2 million girls (approximately one in four) between the ages of 14 and 19 in the US are infected with at least one sexually transmitted disease (STD). The study examined the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV), chlamydia, herpes simplex virus, and trichomoniasis, but it did not test for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which causes acquired immunodeficiency disorder (AIDS).

  • Tsunami

    TsunamiSlide Set

    The word "tsunami" means "harbor wave" in Japanese. Unlike typical sea tides, tsunamis are usually caused by geological hazards, such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, undersea landslides, and, rarely, meteor impacts. Tsunami waves can sometimes exceed 100 miles in length, and travel at more than 500 miles per hour. Tsunamis come ashore as a quickly rising swell and flood low-lying areas.

  • New Hope for Fading Memories: Alzheimer's Disease

    New Hope for Fading Memories: Alzheimer's DiseaseSlide Set

    Imagine walking into your kitchen and just standing there because you’ve forgotten how to prepare a bowl of cereal or toast bread. Add to this the nightmare of looking around and wondering where you are. Such is the average day for an individual suffering from a mind-robbing condition called Alzheimer’s disease (AD).