In December of 2013, an 18-month-old boy fell ill in a small village in Guinea. Although it was not initially apparent, he had been infected—most likely from a bat reservoir—with Zaire ebolavirus. Within months, the outbreak had spread to the major cities of neighboring countries and in August of 2014, the WHO declared the West […]
Acoustic Shadows
During the battle of Gettysburg, military observers encountered a strange phenomenon. Perched at one vantage, some watchers saw the flash of muzzles and rising smoke but could not perceive the sound of battle. While others, situated miles behind the front lines, were deafened by the thunder of cannons. This phenomenon, which was widely reported at […]
Book Review: The Great Influenza
The Great Influenza, by John M Barry, chronicles the cataclysm that was the 1918-1919 Spanish Flu pandemic. It follows the efforts of a handful of scientists as they raced to understand the disease that was sweeping across the globe and their desperate quest to develop therapies that could save lives. Barry grippingly captures the horror […]
