Featured Title
- Plagues upon the Earth : Disease and the Course of Human History How pathogenic microbes have been an intimate part of human history from the beginning-and how our deadliest germs and biggest pandemics are the product of our success as a speciesPlagues upon the Earth is a monumental history of humans and their germs. Weaving together a grand narrative of global history with insights from cutting-edge genetics, Kyle Harper explains why humanity's uniquely dangerous disease pool is rooted deep in our evolutionary past, and why its growth is accelerated by technological progress. He shows that the story of disease is entangled with the history of slavery, colonialism, and capitalism, and reveals the enduring effects of historical plagues all around us, in patterns of wealth, health, power, and inequality. He also tells the story of humanity's escape from infectious disease-a triumph that makes life as we know it possible, yet destabilizes the environment and fosters new diseases.Panoramic in scope, Plagues upon the Earth traces role of disease in the transition to farming, the spread of cities, the advance of transportation, and the stupendous increase in human numbers. Harper offers a new interpretation of humanity's path to control over infectious disease-one where rising evolutionary threats constantly push back against human progress, and where the devastating effects of modernization contribute to the great divergence between societies. The book reminds us that human health is globally interdependent-and inseparable from the well-being of the planet itself.Putting the COVID-19 pandemic in perspective, Plagues upon the Earth tells the story of how we got here as a species, and it may help us decide where we want to go.
Related Guides
About Evolutionary Medicine
This guide provides selected course-specific resources for AN55: Evolutionary Medicine
CARTA Symposium: Impact of Infectious Disease on Humans & Our Origins
- CARTA Symposium: Impact of Infectious Disease on Humans & Our Origins As the COVID-19 pandemic illustrates, infectious diseases can have profound influences on their host populations. Human evolution has unquestionably been shaped by past infections. However, humans have also shaped pathogen dynamics and virulence via a multitude of factors.
Featured Podcasts
- EvolutionMedicine Joe Alcock and guests talk about evolution, adaptation, medical care, epidemics, emerging diseases, and the microbiome.
- All in the Mind: Doctoring with Darwinian Medicine Look in your doctor's kitbag, and you'll probably find a stethoscope, a thermometer, a first-aid kit. But a copy of Charles Darwin's Origin of Species too? 'Darwinian Medicine' asks: why do we get sick, and why didn't the body evolve to be better? Psychiatrist Randolph Nesse argues physicians ignore evolutionary theories at the peril of their patients. All in the Mind continues Radio National's celebrations of Darwin's 200th birthday.
- The Evolving Body: With Professor Randolph Nesse Evolutionary physician Professor Randolph Nesse explores the idea of ‘Darwin’s eye’, and discusses what evolution means for our bodies, our emotions and our behaviour – as well as the disturbing implications of this view of the world.
- Ask a Biologist: Why We Get Sick What can evolution teach us about getting sick and how do we make use of what we are learning? Dr. Biology gets over a cold while visiting with Randy Nesse, Founding Director of the ASU Center for Evolution & Medicine. The two talk about why we get sick and some of the amazing things our body can do to repair itself. All of this is part of the study and practice of evolutionary medicine.
- Sapiens: A Startling Link Between Neanderthals and COVID-19 Researchers recently announced a discovery that connects Neanderthal DNA and people who experience severe symptoms from COVID-19. Hugo Zeberg, one of the scientists who led the study, speaks with SAPIENS host Chip Colwell.
Librarian
This guide was originally authored by Chris Smith, April, 2023.