Google to save the world

Google has pledged to try to stop the next global pandemic by investing $15m in a series of hi-tech health schemes, according to The Guardian .

The report says money from the internet giant will provide funding for six projects that aim to detect new diseases and understand the conditions that help them spread - potentially saving millions of lives in the process.

In the first round of grants, US$15 million (€11.48 million) is being spread among organisations working to identify and prevent infectious diseases that have the potential to become global pandemics.

Among the biggest beneficiaries is the Global Viral Forecasting Initiative.

Google has pledged to contribute 1% of all its profits to charity, as well as giving Google.org 3m shares in the parent company - currently valued at more than US$1 billion.