Smallpox
A major disease that caused widespread death among indigenous populations in the Americas, wiping out an estimated 80% of the population due to lack of immunity.
Common Themes
Videos Mentioning Smallpox
A Postmortem on My Response to Covid (Episode #335)
Sam Harris
Used as an example of a deadly disease eradicated through widespread vaccination, illustrating the potential public health imperative for mandatory vaccination in severe pandemic scenarios.
#160 - Paul Offit, MD: Latest on COVID-19 vaccines and their safety, herd immunity, & viral variants
Peter Attia MD
Mentioned as an example of a virus that does not seem to mutate in a way that evades the immune system, and its vaccine causing lymph node enlargement.
Jamie Metzl: Lab Leak Theory | Lex Fridman Podcast #247
Lex Fridman
A disease that has been eradicated due to vaccination efforts, cited as one of the great successes in human history and an example of effective public health intervention.
#100 – Sam Harris, Ph.D.: COVID-19—Comprehending the crisis and managing our emotions
Peter Attia MD
Referenced as a disease with a more historically achievable vaccine, serving as a benchmark for vaccine difficulty.
Max Tegmark: AI and Physics | Lex Fridman Podcast #155
Lex Fridman
A deadly disease that killed half a billion people, successfully eradicated by a team including Victor Zhdanov and Bill Foege, showcasing science's potential for good.
Dmitry Korkin: Computational Biology of Coronavirus | Lex Fridman Podcast #90
Lex Fridman
A historically dangerous virus, now largely eradicated thanks to a vaccine, used as an example of a highly contagious virus with an R0 between 5 and 7.
Michael Mina: Rapid Testing, Viruses, and the Engineering Mindset | Lex Fridman Podcast #146
Lex Fridman
A highly deadly virus against which the global population is largely no longer vaccinated, making it a significant concern if engineered and released.
Civilization #44: The Spanish Conquest of the New World
Predictive History
A major disease that caused widespread death among indigenous populations in the Americas, wiping out an estimated 80% of the population due to lack of immunity.