Infectious Disease: A Big History
The history of disease is really a story about humankind\u2019s ever-changing relationship to the natural world. All of the momentous events in human history\u2014 the acquisition of fire, the development of farming, the Columbian exchange, rapid industrialization, and accelerated globalization\u2014 all coincide with exposure to emerging new diseases. In a way, the Covid-19 pandemic is a reminder that pathogens will always evolve alongside us, and, in fact, infectious diseases can shine a light on the complexity of our behavior as a species. In his new book, Plagues Upon the Earth: Disease and the Course of Human History, Professor Kyle Harper takes us through each stage of human history, and shows just how infectious diseases have shaped us in ways we\u2019ve never imagined.\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices