Researchers are stepping up efforts to develop a “universal” flu vaccine. H. A. Simon：稻草堆最銳利的針〝The Needle and the Haystack〞；動態的 a needle in a haystack

H. A. Simon：稻草堆最銳利的針〝The Needle and the Haystack〞；動態的 a needle in a haystack

H. A. Simon：稻草堆最銳利的針〝The Needle and the Haystack〞；動態的 a needle in a haystack

這是H. A. Simon喜歡用的 search 之比喻：

a needle in a haystack

 

something that is impossible or extremely difficult to find, especially because the area you have to search is too large:

Finding the piece of paper I need in this huge pile of documents is like looking for/trying to find a needle in a haystack

21世紀開發萬用流感疫苗的人，因為流感病毒會不斷的"演化"出新一代，所以他們形容自己的任務，像是要從移動的草堆要找出"藏針"：

The push to develop a universal flu vaccine has intensified in recent years, given unusually severe flu outbreaks and emerging pandemic strains, like the swine flu.
But it has been a slow process, partly because researchers are testing multiple strategies as the virus continues to mutate, says Saint Louis University professor of infectious disease and internal medicine Daniel Hoft."It's like running after a haystack that's on the back of a wagon," says Hoft, who is leading the Hotel Influenza study. "And it's moving while you're looking for the needle."~Researchers are stepping up efforts to develop a “universal” flu vaccine. 

2000/7/29 www.deming.com.tw home page (partially)
稻草堆最銳利的針