What can’t Google do?

I don’t know, but they can track the flu even faster than the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

During the 2007-2008 flu season, an early version of Google Flu Trends was used to share results each week with the Epidemiology and Prevention Branch of the Influenza Division at CDC. Across each of the nine surveillance regions of the United States, we were able to accurately estimate current flu levels one to two weeks faster than published CDC reports.

(Via Kottke.)

Update: Orin Kerr doesn’t like it. Not sure I understand why.