Past Contest Entries

What the U.S. Government Is Dismissing That Could Seed a Bird Flu Pandemic

After a bird flu outbreak killed 20 million hens and spiked egg prices, farmers suspected it was moving on the wind — a theory the federal government failed to investigate. ProPublica did, using genomic data and weather patterns to show airborne transmission was plausible, revealing how the government had left farmers ill-equipped to protect their flocks and was leaving the nation vulnerable to a pandemic.

Place:

First Place

Year:

  • 2025

Category:

  • Public Health (large)

Affiliation:

ProPublica

Reporter:

Nat Lash