Most of the time we all walk around in a little bubble, a defence system a that can spot a threat and neutralise it before it has a chance to harm us. That's the wonder of the human immune system, and it's only when we get ill do we become aware that it's there at all.
What if we could give the planet an immune system just like ours? A silent network of satellites and supercomputers quietly keeping track of anything that could cause the next pandemic; primed to sequence the culprit and capable of rolling out vaccines and treatments the second someone presses the right button. That's the vision of global technology expert Dr David Bray, who believes that we need to build an immune system for the planet.
I'm talking about a dynamic system that learns to respond to what's present in our world,” Bray says. If you think of our world as an organism and we are parts of that organism, then what do we need to do, much like the immune system of our bodies, to detect that there's something going on that's not healthy?”
Bray is a Distinguished Fellow at the Stimson Center, a not-for-profit based in Washington, DC, that carries out research to solve big, real-world problems using technology. He talks at the speed of his brain – fast probably because he has a lot to cover. Starting at age 15 working for the Department of Energy, he's used satellites to spot forest fires, built computer models of HIV/AIDS, got a PhD in “organisational responses to disruption, briefed the CIA on bioterrorism and carried out independent analysis on the Afghanistan situation for the Obama administration.
Denne historien er fra March 2022-utgaven av BBC Science Focus.
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Denne historien er fra March 2022-utgaven av BBC Science Focus.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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CHANGE THE (BODY) CLOCKS
Why the end of British Summer Time can be a wake-up call for our circadian health
ARE OCTOPUSES SENTIENT?
If you've watched the Netflix documentary My Octopus Teacher or been lucky enough to encounter an octopus in the wild, you'll know there's something special about them.
THE MEXICAN MOLE LIZARD
Imagine what would happen if an earthworm, a lizard, a snake and a mole went on a night out, had too much too much tequila and let their guard down.
Do we finally know how the Egyptian Pyramids were built?
A number of breakthrough studies are beginning to paint a picture of how these wonders of the world were built, but much of the story still remains a mystery...
ECLIPSES ON DEMAND
Inside an unassuming building, behind a damp car park in Antwerp, Belgium, scientists are teaching two spacecraft to be dance partners for a performance that will take place in front of the Sun.
How light's 'secret code' reveals the story of the cosmos
The starlight we can see tells us alot about the Universe, but it's the parts we can't see that contain the biggest revelations
An artificial heart inspired by plumbing
Mechanical circulation could revolutionise transplant design and reduce waiting lists
Major Stonehenge discovery deepens mystery around ancient monument
New findings suggest a key six-tonne stone came from over 450 miles north of the circle
THE UNEXPECTED RETURN OF PNEUMATIC TUBES
Once a pioneering technology that revolutionised deliveries, pneumatic tubes had all but disappeared. Now they're back and enjoying a resurgence
LIVING FOSSILS
FOR SOME CREATURES ALIVE TODAY TIME HAS ALMOST STOOD STILL. MEET THE 'LIVING FOSSILS' THAT GIVE US A GLIMPSE INTO LIFE IN THE DISTANT PAST