My life while the world spins madly on...

Thoughts arising while working as a scientist or just randomly spinning from my brain.

I don't give a damn, I'm happy as a clam, nobody knows me at all

[This and the section title borrowed from the Weepies - great lyrics.]

Everything here is just what I think and does not represent opinion of my employer or anybody else. See the Impressum.

Friday, 12 October 2012

Ah, aaaah, killer viruses everywhere - run: If you see the hills, run the other way!!

There was this article: http://goo.gl/DC7Er on 'deadly viruses that threaten human survival', which is an edited extract from a new book called 'Spillover'. The book seems to feature on it's front page a male baboon in full facial colours, and I guess that tells it all. How can anybody, whith any sense for evolution proclaim that there is a threat to (whole) mankind by some 'killer virus'?

There is this interview with a German virologist who basically states that these killers are killing to fast to pose a major threath http://goo.gl/Eos4V. He also points to one very important thing, it might actually be possible to create vaccines against (most of) these 'killer bugs', but as with e.g. all the nematode inflicted illnesses, there is no market as African nations can't pay - and that's the big issue

In the end it comes down to this as well: do people need to travel to Africa (yes!) and then go and explore some remote caves (no?). Do people need to go and have a look at the last Gorillas? Wouldn't it be better to protect them but leave them alone? In the end what are we arguing to have Zoos for?

Whoever thinks he has to book a cruise (which is decadent) and then is confronted with a sinking ship, that's their problem. So whoever thinks there is need to crawl through some dark African cave... So, who is going to write that in a book? Advising people on what is sensible travelling, and what isn't? And in addition, if you have the time and money to go to Africa, maybe spend some extra time to get into the culture and some extra money to help peoples standard of living (in whatever way that could be achieved).

BLACKADDER: Run for your lives! Run for the hills!
BALDRICK: Er, My Lord, they're coming from the hills.
BLACKADDER: Oh, sorry. Run away from the hills! Run away from the hills! If you see the hills, run the other way!

 

Grad keine Zeit für ne Deutsche Übersetzung (der Post lag jetzt schon über ne Woche in Drafts), kommt aber noch...

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