Date sent: 4-APR-1995 16:28:34=20
>>>I am not very educated at about the viruses and medicine but I want =
to be
>a doctor when I get older. When I read the Hot Zone I got the impre=
ssion
>that the Earth is attacking the thing that hurts it ....which is hum=
ans.=20
>This might seem far-fetched but it is like the Earth is sending out =
all of
>these viruses and new pathogens it protect itself. Since we are inv=
ading
>the rain-forest and destroying it the Earth is releasing these virus=
es to
>stop the destruction. I don=92t know but it kinda makes sense. I w=
ould
>appreciate comments about this idea maybe some of you have heard the
>samething or thought it.
>> =
=20
> Thanks,
> =20
> =
=20
> -Dan Escapa
> =
=20
>-Dan96E at aol.com
I teach genetics and virology at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh.=
In
preparing for a genetics lecture on human evolution, this thought did=
cross
my mind. The strange thing to me is that the viruses (HIV-1, EBOLA) =
seem=20
to be emerging from the same parts of Africa that are also suffering =
=66rom
genocidal wars, mass starvation and more routine epidemics like chole=
ra and
dysentery. I don't think it's any coincidence that these areas are a=
mong=20
the most densely populated and have the highest population growth rat=
es in
the world. We have clearly exceded the carrying capacity of the eart=
h for=20
our species and some thing(s) will happen to reduce our population. =
"The=20
earth will shed us like a cancer, growing out of control." Whole=
=20
generations will be lost in the parts of Africa which have 80% HIV=
=20
infection rates and the next generation will not fare much better, ev=
en if=20
the infection rate goes down. Why should we think that this is anyth=
ing=20
other than a corrective downsizing of the human population which is l=
ong=20
overdue? =20
Bob Lansman=20
Bitnet - lansman at oshkoshw
Internet - lansman at vaxa.cis.uwosh.edu
