THE PERPETRATOR of The Rules of Contagion is not the COVID virus the world cannot stop talking about. Written by epidemiologist and mathematician Adam Kucharski’s contagion transcends the realms of biology and deep-dives into social and behavioral norms and narrates how similar rules can be applied to the disparate worlds of finance and social media. The hero of the book is Ronald Ross, a British doctor, who discovered that malaria is caused by mosquitoes. A journey that spanned over 50 years—during which he also won the Nobel Prize—Ross turned to mathematics to find the answer to a very pertinent question: how to control the spread of malaria without eliminating every mosquito.
Ross made some crucial discoveries that revolutionized how the world looked at contagion. For example, he found that even if there were 48,000 mosquitoes in an area, on average, they would lead to only one human infection. That is, the disease would fade out if the mosquito populations were reduced below a critical level. It would take many more years for the world to fully adopt mosquito control. “The world requires at least 10 years to understand a new idea, however important or simple it may be,” Kucharski quotes Ross.
His indignation was probably not uncalled for: He did not live to see all his ideas translate into practice. But more than a century later, we continue to borrow his methods—to study the spread of loneliness and obesity as much as infectious diseases. Ross’ mosquito discovery paved the way for another interesting question: what causes epidemics to end?
Denne historien er fra June 01, 2020-utgaven av Down To Earth.
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Denne historien er fra June 01, 2020-utgaven av Down To Earth.
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Trade On Emissions
EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, a tariff on imports, is designed to protect European industries in the guise of climate action.
'The project will facilitate physical and cultural decimation of indigenous people'
The Great Nicobar Project has all the hallmarks of a disaster-seismic, ecological, human. Why did it get the go-ahead?
TASTE IT RED
Popularity of Karnataka's red jackfruit shows how biodiversity can be conserved by ensuring that communities benefit from it
MANY MYTHS OF CHIPKO
Misconceptions about the Chipko movement have overshadowed its true objectives.
The politics and economics of mpox
Africa's mpox epidemic stems from delayed responses, neglect of its health risks and the stark vaccine apartheid
Emerging risks
Even as the world gets set to eliminate substances threatening the ozone layer, climate change and space advancement pose new challenges.
JOINING THE CARBON CLUB
India's carbon market will soon be a reality, but will it fulfil its aim of reducing emissions? A report by PARTH KUMAR and MANAS AGRAWAL
Turn a new leaf
Scientists join hands to predict climate future of India's tropical forests
Festering troubles
The Democratic Republic of Congo struggles to contain mpox amid vaccine delays, conflict and fragile healthcare.
India sees unusual monsoon patterns
THE 2024 southwest monsoon has, between June 1 and September 1, led to excess rainfall in western and southern states such as Gujarat, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, while others like Nagaland, Manipur and Punjab recorded a deficit.
