What the archaeological record reveals about epidemics throughout history – and the human response to them

People have lived with infectious disease throughout the millennia, with culture and biology influencing each other. Archaeologists decode the stories told by bones and what accompanies them.

Michael Westaway, Australian Research Council Future Fellow, Archaeology, School of Social Science, The University of Queensland • conversation
June 15, 2020 • ~11 min
Tags: infectious-diseases covid-19 coronavirus archaeology pandemic skeletons plague sars-cov-2 outbreak disease pathology 1918-flu-pandemic black-death pathogens disease-spread pathogen skeleton bioarchaeology

Blocking the deadly cytokine storm is a vital weapon for treating COVID-19

We blame the coronavirus for the thousands of deaths, but it is actually a hyperactive immune reaction that is the cause of death. An immunologist explains.

Alexander (Sasha) Poltorak, Professor of Immunology, Tufts University • conversation
May 20, 2020 • ~7 min
Tags: covid-19 coronavirus inflammation immune-system pandemic sars-cov-2 viruses immune-response pathogen

How people react to the threat of disease could mean COVID-19 is reshaping personalities

Human psychology has evolved to avoid situations that could lead to infection. Behavioral choices now could have long-term effects on how people interact with others and the world.

Vivian Zayas, Associate Professor of Psychology, Cornell University • conversation
May 4, 2020 • ~10 min
Tags: infectious-diseases covid-19 coronavirus immune-system psychology sars-cov-2 disease anthony-fauci infection pathogens germs personality diseases disgust pathogen health-behaviors behavior

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