Don’t run for the hills; COVID-19 is not a zombie apocalypse. But incidence of zoonotic pandemics has quadrupled over the last fifty years. You’ve probably heard of HIV, Avian Flu, Swine Flu, Ebola, SARS, MERS, West Nile, and Zika. That’s not a comprehensive list, but a scary one.

In this episode we explore the connection between pandemics and population. COVID-19 is a sign from Mother Nature, telling us we’re living beyond ecological limits. We’re becoming more and more vulnerable to pandemics because there are so many of us. We are developing in very dense patterns, traveling quickly and widely, altering the climate, and expanding our footprint into every nook and cranny of the planet. Chances of encountering a more lethal virus are increasing thanks to our expansion.