Plagues of our past

From when our ancestors first mastered fire to the rise of modern cities, humanity’s progress has been accompanied by a revolving door of parasites, bacteria and viruses, wreaking havoc on our health. Kyle Harper, author of Plagues Upon the Earth, discusses the sprawling history of infectious disease.

Kyle Harper is the author of Plagues Upon the Earth: Disease and the Course of Human History (Princeton, 2021)