UK R4 prog on origins of infectious disease - fascinating!

[Sasha]

I listened this morning to a fascinating discussion on the origins of infectious disease in an episode of Melvyn Bragg's normally stunning dull "In Our Time". It's now available to listen to online, here. I know that it's not available in at least some countries outside the UK.

Here's the programme blurb:

Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the origins of infectious disease.

Infectious disease has been with us for millennia. There are reports of ancient outbreaks of plague in the Bible, and in numerous historical sources from China, the Middle East and Europe. Other infections, including smallpox, tuberculosis and measles, have also been known for centuries. But some diseases made their first appearances only recently: HIV emerged around a century ago, while the Ebola virus was first recorded in the 1970s.

But where do the agents of disease come from, and what determines where and when new viruses and bacteria appear? Modern techniques allow scientists to trace the histories of infective agents through their genomes; the story of disease provides a fascinating microcosm of the machinery of evolution.

With:

Steve Jones
Professor of Genetics at University College London

Sir Roy Anderson
Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at Imperial College London

Mark Pallen
Professor of Microbial Genomics at the University of Birmingham.

It was so interesting it made me think I should read A Planet of Viruses by Carl Zimmer. Here it is on US Amazon (where there are more reviews than on UK Amazon and where there's a "look inside" feature so you can peek).

 

[justy]

Hi Sasha, sorry but i have to disagree about "In Our Time" i find it a fascinating programme and im in awe of Melvyn Bragg! -that aside i didnt catch it this morning, so thanks for posting this, i may listen to it tomorrow when im having a long rest (busy day today)
Justy x

 

[Enid]

Thanks Sasha - I usually listen to Melvin Bragg's programmes but missed this one so can now listen. Seems full of importance for the medics researching "us".

 

[Sasha]

Hi Sasha, sorry but i have to disagree about "In Our Time" i find it a fascinating programme and im in awe of Melvyn Bragg! -that aside i didnt catch it this morning, so thanks for posting this, i may listen to it tomorrow when im having a long rest (busy day today)
Justy x

You must be in good company among lots of other fans or they wouldn't keep going! I guess history (his usual thing) just isn't up my street. It seems to me that almost every programme of his begins, "In 34 BC..." and carries on from there! Even so, when he does an occasional science edition he asks very good questions and I really did think this particular one was excellent.