The Eradication of Smallpox

Edwin Howard Armstrong isn’t exactly a well-known inventor, but his work in radio literally changed communications around the globe. But his most famous invention – FM radio – became a source of constant frustration after he developed it. Research: Armstrong, Edwin H. “Frequency ... Show More

Before the ballpoint pen, people used their hands, reeds, bamboo, brushes, quills, and eventually nibs to write or draw. But how did things evolve from there to get to things like the fountain pen, and eventually, a ballpoint? Research: "pen." Britannica Library, Encyclopædia Bri ... Show More

This 2022 episode starts with the story of John Bibb, credited with cultivating Bibb lettuce. But his family’s legacy, good and bad, is all tied to having enslaved people build their familial wealth. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 

This week we pay tribute to one of the gnarliest diseases of all time, and the only human disease that's ever been eradicated (thus far). That's right, people- we're talking smallpox! It's gonna get grody. Smallpox has a depressing history, a fascinating biology, a moderately upl ... Show More

You've heard of smallpox, but what was the great pox? And did Shakespeare have it? Learn about the spread of (spoiler alert) syphilis in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inf ... Show More

Subscribe to the podcast! https://podfollow.com/everythingeverywhere/ The largest single killer of human beings throughout history has been disease.  With the advent of modern medicine and the understanding of how bacteria, viruses, and parasites work, we’ve made enormous strides ... Show More

Smallpox is a deadly virus. At one point, it killed almost 1 in 3 people who had it. Almost 300 million of those deaths were in the 20th century alone. It was extremely painful, highly contagious and many people thought it would be impossible to wipe out—until it was. On May 8, 1 ... Show More

For more than half of the 20th century parents in the industrialized world were freaked out by an unseen waster of youth, the poliovirus. It spread easily and could paralyze children for life or even kill them. Its effects were so horrible that humanity set about ridding if from ... Show More

Herd immunity is an epidemiological concept that if enough people are inoculated against a disease the rest of us won’t get it. It’s been useful in holding back diseases like polio and measles, but we have vaccines for them. We don’t have one for Covid-19. Learn more about your a ... Show More

Thousands of people died in India during the world's last major smallpox epidemic. Individual cases had to be tracked down and quarantined to stop the deadly disease spreading. Ashley Byrne spoke to Dr Mahendra Dutta and Dr Larry Brilliant who took part in the battle to eradicate ... Show More

It was one of the most lethal pandemics in global history. The bubonic plague’s devastating spread in 6th and 14th century Europe paved the way for how we handle outbreaks today — though patients in medieval times saw no sign of a cure. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit pod ... Show More

As the world reacts to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), Robert and Joe devote an episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind to cover what’s currently known about the virus and what you can do as infections continue to spread. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheart ... Show More

Es prinicpios de enero de 2020, y un misterioso virus nuevo está azotando la ciudad china de Wuhan.Al comienzo, el brote apenas llega a las noticias, pero cuando la amenaza llama la atención, los científicos se ponen en acción para hacer una vacuna. Pero el panorama es sombrío – ... Show More