An exhibit at a Philadelphia museum explores how ideas about infection have changed over two thousand years. “Going Viral” examines early views of illness, when people believed body fluids like blood and snot regulated the body, and helps visitors understand the devastation brought by epidemics like the Black Death and Spanish flu. It even demonstrates through an interactive display how germs might spread on a modern-day subway. Listen to hear more about the exhibit and what museum curators hope visitors will learn from it.
Story Length: 2:22
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June 6, 2017
4:42
Doctors around the world are worried about the threat of the global spread of bird flu, or avian influenza. In Hong Kong, scientists studying the virus are also concerned about how quickly the virus is evolving. The latest mutation of the virus is able to kill chickens in the lab within 24 hours. A leading scientist worries that a future mutation could be transmitted more quickly between humans, leading to a global pandemic. Listen to learn more about this research and the threat of bird flu.
Read MoreMay 31, 2015
4:34
A new and deadly strain of avian influenza, or bird flu, has hit poultry farms in the Midwest. This outbreak is new and surprising because infectious disease experts don’t know how it is spreading. The old theory that the disease is spread between birds in close contact has not been consistent with this mutated strain of bird flu. Millions of chickens and turkeys have died so far, impacting both farmers and consumers. Listen to learn more about this disease and its transmission.
Read MoreMay 26, 2015
4:03
Ebola, Swine Flu, Lou Gehrig’s - all of these illnesses were named after places, animals or people. In fact, most disease are named in an ad-hoc or random way, and that can have unexpected consequences for individuals and communities associated with the diseases. The World Health Organization is hoping to change this by establishing new guidelines for disease naming that are based on medical factors. Listen to learn more about the current way diseases are named and this suggested alternative.
Read MoreMay 20, 2014
5:14
The disease smallpox was successfully eliminated in 1977, but two research facilities still hold the last samples of the smallpox virus. The World Health Organization is going to vote soon on the future of the smallpox samples. Should we keep the virus to study it or completely destroy it because it could get into the wrong hands? Listen to this story and discuss.
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