This makes total sense once you hear about it: Google has determined that certain search terms are good indicators of flu activity. So Google can use search term data to predict flu outbreaks. That’s cool and yet another creepy indicator of the scary amount of access Google has to trends in human behaviour.
http://www.google.org/flutrends/
The closest state to me is Maine where there is currently a moderate level of flu activity. Previous year trends indicate an uptick in flu activity looming in the coming months of December through March.
OK, actually, we expect that in the more "wintered" parts of the world. Still interesting.
(Photo: ghindo)