What serial killers and epidemics have in common

[chantalzola]

Annalee Newitz - Though it's often said that serial killers and diseases strike at random, a new study shows that they both kill victims in a predictable pattern. That's why the tools criminologists use to track serial killers can also pinpoint the location where an epidemic started

Comments

[gipsyqueen]

Love it. On a related note, I highly recommend the book The Ghost Map. =)

[ameliorate23]

Very interesting. My two knowledge bases coming together~

[just_say_narf]

Awesome read.

[darxus]

I'd prefer source links outside of the cut.

[darxus]

Anybody else feel like their explanation of how the buffer zone applies to epidemics was terrible?

To me it sounded like "Because as a circle gets bigger, it covers more area." Which has nothing to do with, say, probability per square mile.