The population of planet Earth is ever growing, and it does not seem to slow down on any bit. This results in a range of severe consequences, such as higher CO2 emissions, overall raised temperature level, pollution. Of course, none of this itself is even comparable to a scale of CO2 emissions of cars and factories, raised temperature due to the deforestation and pollution of the wastes like our beloved plastics. But, everything was brought to that level for the same reason -- to satisfy the needs of humanity. There is a theory that a Planet is itself a living being. When it is healthy, all its organs and components are healthy as well. Humans, like a tiny Earth's blood cells, can assure the opposite. Then, the only way for the Planet to heal, is to get rid of the problem.
In the year of 1349 the Plague, that originated far to the East, in Asia, has reached the harbours of Norway. Not even the cold could stop it, and the rats that roamed European ships menacingly contracted everyone with this curse. There was no escape. Every last person who got the Plague -- died. Up to this day, Yersinia Pestis (this is scientific name of the disease) holds a world record, killing one third, 33% of the entire population of the planet. Two hundred million people at a day. Numbers wise even a regular cold has taken lives of more up to this point, however, percentage-wise it is not even close to take that big slice of a pie in a single swoop. It took almost 200 years for Europe to recover to the previous population level. If this happened today, both Americas, Europe, and Africa -- four out of seven continents, would be wiped out clear. Imagine all land, from the west coast of California, all the way to the eastern banks of Caspian Sea would stand empty, without a single soul inhabiting it.
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Why such a thing could even happen? The answer is simple -- outrageously high level of unsanitary conditions, stunningly low level of medical advancement and total neglection of even basic hygiene. Rats were occupying every corner from the hut of local farmers to the royal bedchambers. Fun fact: rats themselves were not carrying the disease, but their fleas did. Rats were only feasting on the corpses, making perfect conditions for the reproduction.
With all that said, it may seem like such a thing could never happen in our modern times. But think again -- in some places in the world there are horrendous living conditions: unsanitary, with lack of proper medicine and care. And it is not just the poor third world countries -- citizens of the developed countries also neglect hygiene and in a high risk group, especially in the urban areas. Public transport, shopping malls, streets... Everything, that surrounds us. It is not even close to being sanitary.
With the new pandemic that was looming on the horizon but a weeks ago, and now already knocking at your door, maybe it is worth to wash your hands one extra time. Fun fact: the bacteria that caused a legendary Pestilence is still alive and present on the Earth. It was frozen in the Norwegian glaciers and got back free due to the global warming. It was scary at first for scientists to encounter a disease that was thought to have gone extinct long ago, but luckily, with modern technologies treating it is as simple as regular flu. There are even still people out there contracting this legendary strain.
Coronavirus is most likely to be put down fairly quickly. Modern world is too well developed, and is not so easily to put down. How do you think:
1) What is the main reason for a big pandemics to outbreak?
2) Do you believe in the theory about living World?
3) Would you like to take a glance at what medieval Europe was like during these events? And what would our modern world look like, should such thing happen again?
In the year of 1349 the Plague, that originated far to the East, in Asia, has reached the harbours of Norway. Not even the cold could stop it, and the rats that roamed European ships menacingly contracted everyone with this curse. There was no escape. Every last person who got the Plague -- died. Up to this day, Yersinia Pestis (this is scientific name of the disease) holds a world record, killing one third, 33% of the entire population of the planet. Two hundred million people at a day. Numbers wise even a regular cold has taken lives of more up to this point, however, percentage-wise it is not even close to take that big slice of a pie in a single swoop. It took almost 200 years for Europe to recover to the previous population level. If this happened today, both Americas, Europe, and Africa -- four out of seven continents, would be wiped out clear. Imagine all land, from the west coast of California, all the way to the eastern banks of Caspian Sea would stand empty, without a single soul inhabiting it.
Plague Doctor -- an iconic symbol of the calamity
Why such a thing could even happen? The answer is simple -- outrageously high level of unsanitary conditions, stunningly low level of medical advancement and total neglection of even basic hygiene. Rats were occupying every corner from the hut of local farmers to the royal bedchambers. Fun fact: rats themselves were not carrying the disease, but their fleas did. Rats were only feasting on the corpses, making perfect conditions for the reproduction.
With all that said, it may seem like such a thing could never happen in our modern times. But think again -- in some places in the world there are horrendous living conditions: unsanitary, with lack of proper medicine and care. And it is not just the poor third world countries -- citizens of the developed countries also neglect hygiene and in a high risk group, especially in the urban areas. Public transport, shopping malls, streets... Everything, that surrounds us. It is not even close to being sanitary.
Rats in the streets of New York -- 2019, photo by Charlie Hamilton James
With the new pandemic that was looming on the horizon but a weeks ago, and now already knocking at your door, maybe it is worth to wash your hands one extra time. Fun fact: the bacteria that caused a legendary Pestilence is still alive and present on the Earth. It was frozen in the Norwegian glaciers and got back free due to the global warming. It was scary at first for scientists to encounter a disease that was thought to have gone extinct long ago, but luckily, with modern technologies treating it is as simple as regular flu. There are even still people out there contracting this legendary strain.
Coronavirus is most likely to be put down fairly quickly. Modern world is too well developed, and is not so easily to put down. How do you think:
1) What is the main reason for a big pandemics to outbreak?
2) Do you believe in the theory about living World?
3) Would you like to take a glance at what medieval Europe was like during these events? And what would our modern world look like, should such thing happen again?
Comments
2. I believe in the theory of the dying World.
3. For sure it would be interesting to see such events. It would be interesting how humans would react to this danger. If something like that would happen in present times it would change all aspect of human race as a whole.
2. I don’t think there is something to believe in or not, undeniably, we, as species are a threat to our planet and are destroying it faster than ever before.
3. No, I don’t think I have this kind of need, but on the other hand it could be very educational and absorbing to experience the life of people that are long gone. It’s hard for me to tell how it would look like, but I guess that by looking at the whole “coronavirus problem” we can definitely see there would be less of us on this planet. Nowadays, I think the technology and medicine are so well developed, (plus we live in much more ‘sanitized’ times) that it could be nearly impossible to suffer as much, as they did in the medieval Europe.
2) I believe in what I see and it does not look good. I don't need to name it a theory.
3) I don't have a need to look at human suffering. I've read Joseph Conrad's book entitled Dżuma and I think he showed the tragic of this type of situation clearly enough.
2. Yes, I believe in this theory. Not only humans have evolved, but also animals, bacteria and viruses. The better we develop, the more sophisticated diseases attack our body.
3. I would not like to take a look at these events. Thinking about those times, I can only imagine suffering people. Nowadays, coping with a pandemic would be even more difficult - people are used to traveling wherever and whenever they want. I don't want people to suffer, but maybe it's necessary. There are over 7 billion people on the planet and this is one way to reduce this number naturally.
2) In fact, you (or anyone) can't name this thing a "theory", cause it's only a model, metaphor to describe some processes in a more casual way. And, the funniest thing is that you can't believe or not believe in any theory - only proof or disproof it.
3) Panic, panic, bad decisions because of panic. Has anything changed?
2. I don't believe in the theory, but i believe, that thinking of earth like it's a living being would be beneficial for mankind.
3. Not really, i can only imagine how horrible living conditions were back then, and i have no need of seeing this. If something like this would happen in today's world, we would recover, like humans always do, but for some time, our civilization would be in ruins.
1. One of the main reasons for a big pandemic to outbreak is globalization of course. People travel around the world every day and they infect people they met on their way. There are also issues like lack of hygiene, not covering your mouth when coughing, etc. These days people also go to work even when they're ill, just because they have to or because they're afraid to lose their jobs. By doing that, they help with spreading the illness.
2. I think it's not really a theory and more like a model of sorts. However, I'm afraid of our future and I'm sure that humans brought more destruction to Earth than any other living species.
3. I don't need to to take a glance at what medieval Europe was like during pandemic events to know how they looked like. Just knowing history is enough. Back then you were burnt on a stake for trying to help or cure people with medicine. People also bathed once per year or even less times than that. Not mentioning absolutely disregarding any means to actually stop the illness from spreading. And we can already see how our modern world would look like if such thing happened again. We're currently experiencing a pandemic. At least now we actually use soap more often.
2. As it's a theory and not a scientific fact I can't believe it. We could only divagate about the topic but I feel no.
3. I would not want to look at what it looked like especially in person. We could learn about it from the history. Sometimes when I look at our "authorities" and "elites" I feel like it should happen again and do some clearance.. But returning to reality I definitely don't want any global disaster to happen again.
Looking at our nowadays world, anomalies, diseases, catastrophes seems like this theory makes sense.
Thankfully, we do not live in Medieval Europe when there are no medecines to supply patients and lack of medical staff. Even though we face some epidemics today we still get chance to get cured due to innovations, technologies, preventive measures, treatments, highly qualified medical personnel.
This theory is very likely. All species evolve. Animals, plants and also viruses. Our immune system is fighting new threats every day.
That's exactly how it won't happen again. People know where the threat can come from. We have very developed communication capabilities. Medicine too. And most importantly, we have vaccines. That's why we're making it so difficult because we know how to fight disease.
For me it would be globalization and hygiene. Everyone has a contact with each other easier than before which allows us to travel thousand of miles in a matter of hours. Without being hygienist and allowing such contact with people around the world, It can have a terrible consequences.
2) Do you believe in the theory about living World?
I belevie in it, as many times the world was about to end, we have always evolve and there was a type of life on earth many years already.
3) Would you like to take a glance at what medieval Europe was like during these events? And what would our modern world look like, should such thing happen again?
I can speculate there would be more deadly cases because of not so advanced medical treatment. It was more deadly than it is nowdays. But on the other hand it wouldn't be spread as it would be then.
2. I can't bring myself to believe such thing. There are living organisms in the world, but world itself isn't one. It's just a space for other entities.
3. By 'glance', we mean to just see how it looked like? If so, then sure. It could be good and educational experience. Overall it would be great to be able to see how world looked like in the past, with our very own eyes. And when it comes to modern times and black plague, I think and hope we'd be able to suppress it, before it does meaningful harm.
People who act irresponsible. Reckless people, and what's even worse, people who are not even aware of the fact that they might be spreading something are the biggest reason of dangerous viruses spreading.
2) Do you believe in the theory about living World?
Not really.
3) Would you like to take a glance at what medieval Europe was like during these events? And what would our modern world look like, should such thing happen again?
I am sure that seeing such world would be amazing and if I were safe from anything that might be dangerous to me I would love to spend time there and see how they handle it.
The main reason is like always the people. I think we are not aware enough as we should be. We think we can beat the world, but as we can see a nature can always suprice us.
2) Do you believe in the theory about living World?
I do not believe in this theory, I dont find it very interesting and realistic.
3) Would you like to take a glance at what medieval Europe was like during these events? And what would our modern world look like, should such thing happen again?
I would love to see medieval Europe, but it can be very dangerous, because our organism is way worst ready to survive in critical environment and diseases.
2. At this point I don't believe in anything
3. taking a glance at medievial Europe could be very interesting experience for sure, but just to see how it was. I wouldn't want to be a part of that world.
2 / I am by nature an agnostic, why not ?!
3 / Yes, I would like to look at the events of the Middle Ages, since I am very curious about this era as a whole.
Low self-hygiene which is always connected with spreading viruses. You could also add the ease of travelling these days + fast life.
2) Do you believe in the theory about living World?
Of course and in my opinion we are really close to destroying world we know in the next 20 years. ~60% of mankind will have troubles with access to drinking water by 2035 and ~55% will live in metropolias until that year. Quick math, we will be doomed if nothing will change.
3) Would you like to take a glance at what medieval Europe was like during these events? And what would our modern world look like, should such a thing happen again?
I would not. And regarding the second question, it would look better from the macroscale perspective.
2. Yes I do. With a passing time, everything evolves.
3. Yes I would because we in my view, we can learn a lot from our ancestors. Nowadays we have much more people but also better medicine, comparing to the medieval. But a modern medicine is not available for everyone and that’s why I think, we are vulnerable for to disasters.
2. I do believe that humans are the biggest threat to planet Earth.
3. That would be interesting and educational experience. Actually, due to the coronavirus pandemic, we got kind of a hint on how people act in such cases.
I am neither an expert nor a person interesed about theories about that thing. I believe that main and the only reason of big pandemics are fatal accidents or unresponsible people with access of dangerous materials.
2) Do you believe in the theory about living World?
If we can look at that subject with little bit of abstraction of course. All the living organisms, all the nature processes are making this World a living thing.
3) Would you like to take a glance at what medieval Europe was like during these events? And what would our modern world look like, should such thing happen again?
Definitly not or maybe as an expiriment but only from the safe place becouse Europe those times wasn't safe place for nowadays people that get used to comfortable living without any suffers
The main reason of big pandemic outbreak is probably underestimate situation. For example in Italy when schools were closed people still took part in the events. In my opinion Trump did great decision about prohibit flights.
2. Do you believe in the theory about living World?
I think this theory is true. Everything matters and everyone have some impact for other things.
3. Would you like to take a glance at what medieval Europe was like during these events? And what would our modern world look like, should such thing happen again?
In my opinion this pandemic in medieval wouldn't change anything. There was always some diseases and epidemic. For example one of the biggest was in XIV europe and its called black death. Humanity still exist. ;)
1. Bad hygiene, incompetent leaders and people breaking quarantine.
2. No, I do not. It sounds more like a fantasy than something that could take place in real life.
3. I would gladly take a glance as I am a very curious person, it would not be a pleasant thing to watch though. Dying people, loved one's crying after their loss and a lot of bodies burning on stakes. If you mean, what would happen if a third of Earth's popularity died I imagine it as follows. Economy would die, riots would take place and nothing would be same ever again.
The first and main reason for the pandemic is human irresponsibility to their health and the health of those around them. Lack of personal hygiene standards, I mean non-compliance with hygiene. Today the whole world is suffering from this. In many countries, of course, sanitary standards were largely ignored. Some governments have not taken emergency measures for this disease. Probably it seemed to everyone that this would affect everyone, but not them.
2) Do you believe in the theory about living World?
Looking at today's anomalies and processes that occur around the world, we can say for sure that the planet or nature does not exactly say “thank you” to the person. Based on this, I can assume that such a theory has a place to be. At least it is not without reason.
3) Would you like to take a glance at what medieval Europe was like during these events? And what would our modern world look like, should such thing happen again?
In fact, I have no such desire. Perhaps I will get by with theoretical data that suggest that this could happen if such a situation arose again. That’s enough for me. At least that information which is described in your article already leads to bad thoughts.
First of all mentality of people living in on the world. Second would be not caring about hygiene. Media should inform and warn people that something is happening on the world and that they should prepare for it.
2) Do you believe in the theory about living World?
No, I do not. That is some kind of trick, in which I would not even try to believe. Not gonna happen in the real life.
3) Would you like to take a glance at what medieval Europe was like during these events? And what would our modern world look like, should such thing happen again?
Sure I would. I would really like to see what was the reality of those times. I was quite interested in history back in days.
I think that the main reason for a big pandemic to outbreak are mostly humans and their desire to survive even at the expense of other people or their stupidity. For example, in one of the countries the government ordered the bars to be closed because of coronavirus so what people done they gathered in bars to have fun one last time they didn’t care that they can get infected or infect others. Another reason for outbreak is fast and good transportation and late detection.
2) Do you believe in the theory about living World?
Yes, believe in theory about living World at last in some way alive but I would not compare people to a blood cell we are closer to a virus and this global warming is just Earth fever. And now we only need to learn how to travel in space then we can start infecting other planets.
3) Would you like to take a glance at what medieval Europe was like during these events? And what would our modern world look like, should such thing happen again?
No, I would not I don’t like sickening scene and even more watch millions of suffering and dying people without being able to help them. And what would our modern world look like, should such thing happen again? I think the best example of this kind of situation would be a movie “Pandemic” it shows similar situation like we have now jus the virus is more deadly.
It starts with biological loterry which I think we can not prevent but the weak point is social awarness and being responsible for more than yourself/closest relatives.
2) Do you believe in the theory about living World?
No, I don't.
3) Would you like to take a glance at what medieval Europe was like during these events? And what would our modern world look like, should such thing happen again?
I think we're more aware and prepared to fight pandemic than medivieval people. Having insights about how it looked centuries ago could be a source of constructive conclusions
The main reason is people usually aren't ready for new diseases. We need time to get enough information about unknown and make appropriate action. There is human overpopulation on the Earth and we can't do much about it. Usually, wars and plagues used to control population but now it's not so simple. People can easily travel around the world and when someone is ill they can infect enormous amout of humans. So even one person is enough when new desease comes.
2) Do you believe in the theory about living World?
Yes but not really. I believe world is changing and trying to adapt to new conditions. Every living form wants to survive for millennia, needs a little bit of balance and makes other creatures to facilitate their persistence.
3) Would you like to take a glance at what medieval Europe was like during these events? And what would our modern world look like, should such thing happen again?
I read and watched enough documentary articles, books and short movies about this disease and other plagues. Living in those days would be tough for us, modern people and i don't think we would be able to survive. So... no, I would't want to be there during that time and even if our planet need to dispose of humanity it shouldn't happen again.
2. It's hard for me to say if I believe in this theory. I see what is happening in the world right now and it worries me, but I think that nothing happens without a reason.
3. I think we now have a whole totalny new world. Everything has change even technology and medicine. Of course, however, when we downplay the problem may repeat what is happening right now. Fortunately, contrary to the proverb "a wise Pole after the damage" we have implemented many ways to stop this pandemic.
The main reason for a big pandemics to outbreak is a frivolous attitude and delayed response to the threat. People realize the danger too late.
2) Do you believe in the theory about living World?
No, I don't believe in that.
3) Would you like to take a glance at what medieval Europe was like during these events? And what would our modern world look like, should such thing happen again?
No, I don't want to see it, I'm sure that it was terrible. To be honest, I can't even imagine a panic that would be in such situation, you see a panic even now, when nothing terrible not happened yet. In supermarkets there is no meat, cereals, pasta, soap and toilet paper. What would be if we had something like in medieval Europe?
2. Rather not.
3. I think that's what's happening.