In 1882, Russian zoologist Elie Metchnikoff recognized that white blood cells form the first line of defense against invading bacteria. Initially greeted with skepticism, his insights into the nature of immunity brought him the Nobel Prize in 1908. His belief that sour milk might delay aging sparked a global craze for yogurt. In researching Immunity, her biography of Metchnikkoff, Luba Vikhansky tracked down a secret stash of Metchnikoff’s letters in Paris, and obtained permission to break into safe deposit boxes to gain access to this material.
Have you ever had trouble getting access to information or sources you need for a story? To help address the problem, the recently reconstituted Information Access Committee has created a database in which NASW members can share experiences trying to gain hard-to-obtain information or speak to scientists to whom access is restricted by institutional media policies.
