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Most Dangerous Science Jobs

Forget toiling in a lab coat—only mad scientists need apply
By Heather McPherson
Posted Aug 10, 2007 2:21 PM CDT
Most Dangerous Science Jobs
OVER THE GULF OF MEXICO-- NOAA satellite image of Hurricane Rita taken at 2:15 p.m. EDT on September 23, 2005, as the outer bands of the Category Three storm lash Gulf Coast regions.   (KRT Photos)

Science isn't just lab rats and microscopes—how does flying into hurricanes grab you? The most hazardous occupations for you biology, chemistry, and physics nerds:

  1. Astronaut: 24 US deaths since 1961.
  2. Biosafety lab researcher: Handle earth's deadliest diseases.
  3. Hurricane hunter: Fly into tempests to gauge pressure and wind speed.


  1. Mobile lab tech: Infectious diseases in Darfur. Fun!
  2. Propulsion engineer: Test rockets, and explosions are least of your concerns.
  3. Grad student:  Everything's dangerous if you don't know what you're doing.
  4. Volcanologist: 8 killed since 1991.
  5. Biologist: Researcher died of herpes after monkey goo got in her eye.

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