Hey IFers! We know it’s been hard these last few weeks, what with quarantine and all. That’s why we’ve been bringing you these SPECIAL virus related episodes, for a much needed source of edutainment!

Our friend GABY PANICCIA has returned, once again to help us understand more about the slimy, gooey, fatty world of viruses.

This week we’ve got, What The If…VIRUSES NEVER EXISTED?!

What would the world be like? Would it be HEAVEN or HELL?! Would there even be a world?

So put on your masks and latex gloves, make sure you’ve wiped down your listening devices, and lets get into some VIRUSES!

MORE ON THE IF THIS WEEK:

1.    Learning about Viruses

From “filterable agent” to “virus”, how did we learn about these tiny biological entities that have the potential to cause wide-spread disease? Here’s how scientists figured out viruses and how they work.

2.     Visualization of COVID-19

While the 19th centuries only had filtered goop, we can now observe viruses through various technological means. Here’s a look into how the pictures of COVID-19 you saw on the news is composed.

3.     Paleovirology

What kind of role did viruses play in evolution and biology? Paleovirology uncovers the ways in which ancient viruses influence life as we know it today. Read more on the methods and discoveries from this branch of virology here!

4.     History of Vaccination

Vaccination was a huge step in the fight against infectious diseases and pandemics. Check out this article to learn more about the history of immunization and vaccines. Here’s also a convenient timeline that gives an overview of various outbreaks and treatments since the 1000s!

5.     Phage Therapy

Meet the ancient enemy. Phage therapy describes a new approach for dealing with bacterial infections—by weaponizing viruses! Watch this video to learn how scientists at Yale are trying to develop this treatment.

Special thanks to Kyle Crichton, Howard Zheng and Illia Zheng for their help with the show.

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Keep On IFFin',
Philip & Matt