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Welcome to the companion Web site to the NOVA program "The Brain Eater," originally broadcast on February 10, 1998. This program retraces the scientific sleuthing that linked mad cow disease in cattle to a related brain disease in humans.
  • Food Safety Tips
    Check out the basic steps in food handling, cooking, and storage that are essential to avoiding food-borne illness.

  • When Science Faces the Unknown
    According to biologist Joseph S. Levine, the mad cow story is not just a cautionary tale, but a classic example of the "complex and vital relationship" between science and society.

  • 20/20 Hindsight
    Could experts have discovered the link between mad cow disease in cattle and in humans sooner? Find out in this thought-provoking article.

  • Do Prions Exist?
    Two scientists with opposing views debate the controversial question of whether prions - a possible new type of infectious agent - actually exist.
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