This Ted Talk is a bit lengthy, but well worth the listen
"The last time the world heard about a coronavirus outbreak in China, in early 2003, it ended up spreading to more than two dozen countries in the Americas, Europe and Asia, sickening about 8,000 people and killing almost 800."
800 doesn't sound like a lot, given the total number or people populating the earth. BUT ... the 1918 influenza pandemic is estimated to have killed "about 500 million people or one-third of the world’s population became infected with this virus. The number of deaths was estimated to be at least 50 million worldwide with about 675,000 occurring in the United States."
Given the current distrust of vaccines and science research, coronavirus could well become the next global pandemic.
sources quotes: NY Times and the CDC.
Forget RACES, Forget SubSpecies. These are destracters.
Biologically speaking Species is defined as organisms which through the exchange of genetic information produce Viable Offspring. For mammals (and that includes Homo sapiens) the exchange of genetic information is achieved through s*xual Intercourse.
Yes, interbreeding is possible across species lines, as in the case of a Horse and Donkey producing a Mule. But the Mule is sterile, ergo can not be considered a Viable Offspring.
For those who think Phenotypic Expressions like skin color, hair texture and eye shape define a species are flat out wrong. Humans are humans, the world around. Blue Eyed Blondes are NOT genetically superior. Nor are the sons of millionaires and billionaires.
Lastly this not a discussion about the use of cryspr to edit genes and the ramifications thereoft.
IF you think otherwise - get over yourself.
You know I would tell it is snowing here, but if I did all the Climate Deniers will jump up and claim proof positive that Climate Change is a Chinese Hoax.
I have been retired for many years now and still I find myself waking up at 4 AM - time enough to get ready for 6 AM commute to a 7 AM job start. This behavior makes no sense, but there is - firmly ingrained in my life.
Jefferson, Hamilton, Thoreau, Tolstoy, Gandhi, Shakespeare, Churchill - these were all prolific writers who addressed, and often criticized, the social fabric of their time. Because these writers put out so many words on so many topics, it is easy to find phrases to support any philosophical position. If you are willing to take words out of context or even merge different phrases together, there is no limit to what you can have these writers support.
In my foolish youth I spend hours in university libraries trying to understand why these great men would have said some the crazy things the internet attributed to them. That is until I realized they didn't say these things, or at least did not say them in the fashion these "internet historians" would have you believe..These days I just shake my head in dismay and move on.
IF you want to believe Up is Down, Fast is Slow, Black is White - that is your privilege, have at it.
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