Author: Kevin McLaughlin

CARACAS, Venezuela — In much of the world, cheap oil is seen as an economic boon. For some countries, however, it’s a recipe for disaster: one that will fall most heavily onto the shoulders of the poor. Oil prices were kept high for years by huge demand in countries with quick economic growth, such as China. A few oil-rich countries controlled a large amount of production and could set prices accordingly. That changed, however, when Chinese consumption slowed and the United States and Canada increased production through unconventional extraction methods, such as fracking. With consumption slowing and oil flowing from…

REDMOND, Washington — Microsoft has long been a pioneer in the world of technology. Here are three ways the technology giant is helping global health initiatives around the world. Technology for Good Technology is expensive. The costs of hardware and software can run into the thousands — often too much for organizations running on a nonprofit budget. That’s why Microsoft has established the Technology for Good program. The initiative seeks to provide hardware and software for nonprofits to use around the world. According to Microsoft’s most recent Citizenship Report, the company donated $948.6 million worth of software and hardware in…

SEOUL, South Korea — MERS, or Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, is making headlines around the world as it spreads through Korean hospitals. But does the disease pose a serious threat to migrant workers as well? In South Korea, the outbreak unfolded quickly. A 68-year-old man showing signs of what seemed like pneumonia, visited a hospital south of Seoul on May 11. He was passed from one medical facility to another until correctly diagnosed with MERS disease on May 20. By then, however, it was too late—”Patient Zero” had already infected patients in four other hospitals, including Samsung Medical Center, one…

SEATTLE — A new research project from Microsoft will pit drones against mosquitoes in the fight against infectious disease. They’re calling it Project Premonition. Researchers at the famous technology company plan to monitor the spread of disease and prevent future epidemics. With innovative mosquito traps, buzzing drones and cloud computing, Microsoft believes it can pull it off. But why bother with mosquitoes? These ever-annoying, bloodsucking insects provide a window into the health of local wildlife. By deep-sequencing their DNA, it’s possible to see if an epidemic is on the rise among animals in the region. Catching mosquitoes, however, isn’t always…

Tech companies have always brought innovative solutions to complex problems. Here are five tech companies making a difference throughout the developing world. 1. Watsi Watsi helps fund necessary medical procedures for patients in developing countries. The organization, which was started by a returned Peace Corps volunteer, crowd sources donations from around the world. It has connected 4,323 patients with 12,054 donors. According to the organization’s website, 100 percent of donations go toward medical procedures and processing fees are covered. 2. Intellectual Ventures Lab The scientists at Intellectual Ventures Lab work to find high-tech solutions to global problems. They are perhaps…

SAN FRANCISCO — With the April launch of its Kickstarter project, one San Francisco startup is working to bring more computer power to the developing world. Endless, which has raised $176,000 so far, hopes to overcome the technical and economic hurdles preventing people in developing economies from owning desktop computers. With an affordable computer featuring a new operating system, the company hopes to target the ballooning global middle class, which has recently seen extraordinary growth in Asia and Latin America. It is no easy task. This is not MacBook territory, so pricing must be kept low. Internet access is limited as…

SEATTLE — Though its name means “Joyful Harbor” in Portuguese, the city of Porto Alegre is home to one of Brazil’s many urban slums, or favelas. The haphazardly arranged settlements popped up around Brazil’s cities during widespread migration among rural residents to urban areas. The migrants, often looking for work, were part of a demographic shift known as rural flight. According to a 2010 census, roughly 6 percent of Brazilians today live in a favela. The slums of Porto Alegre in particular, made news during the 2014 World Cup. Leading up to the event, thousands were evicted from their homes…

PEABODY, Massachusetts — In a victory over infectious disease, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) announced the elimination of rubella from the Americas on Wednesday, April 29. Also known as German measles, rubella is a contagious viral infection that poses serious risk to pregnant women. Once exposed to the virus, women often suffer miscarriage or give birth to children with a severe birth defect known as congenital rubella syndrome (CRS). The condition is characterized by cataracts, deafness, congenital heart defects and other serious symptoms. Those who are in their first and second trimesters are most vulnerable, although the disease presents a…