Human health is collective. What happens to you will eventually affect me and my offspring. It has always been thus. The evidence is deep in your DNA. Large parts of our DNA come from bacteria and viruses. We have been dealing with infections as long as there has been multicellular life. That’s at least six […]
Coronavirus Public Health Blog 3.24.20 Psychological Shock of Coronavirus
“I don’t believe this.” Or “this can’t be happening.” What if it is? Coronavirus is now provoking global shock. It’s a generalized “I can’t believe this is real”: I can’t go out for a pizza I can’t get my hair cut. I can’t take a walk. I can’t leave my house. Covid-19’s ultimate effects will […]
Learning From The Next Ebola (10/20/14)
When the Past Is Prologue Humans don’t see threats until they’re kicking at the door. But that does not mean you can’t put a crisis to good use. Chance rules the world. As Nassim Taleb showed in “The Black Swan” and other books, low probability events can create high impacts. But the threat to the […]
Regeneration Health, For You and the Environment (9/29/14)
Regeneration: Can helping myself aid the environment? Yes. At last week’s global climate summit, Chinese and American diplomats sat down and agreed. Both nations must work together to prevent further climate shifts. Demonstrators in over 2000 sites worldwide agreed. Companies and cities, churches and Communists agree. Many now argue combating global climate change can increase […]
Civilizational Obesity (1/20/14)
The Weight of Progress Life has improved for lots of people. Economic development and globalization has brought many out of poverty. Kenyan farmers shop and bank with their cell phones. Hundreds of millions of Chinese have moved from the impoverishment of the Cultural Revolution to high levels of education and ambitious middle class lives. As […]