3 chapters across the catalog
Infectious disease specialist Dr. Isaac Bogoch explains that monkeypox is a zoonotic infection that typically lives in rodents before jumping to humans. He compares the virus to smallpox, noting that monkeypox lesions usually develop at the same rate, unlike chickenpox. The hosts discuss the psychological impact of a "non-lethal" but disfiguring disease on a vanity-driven society.
Dr. Ken Alibek, a former Soviet bioweapons official, claimed that the USSR researched monkeypox as a potential replacement for smallpox in their biological arsenal. He testified that the program aimed to create genetically altered viruses that could be stockpiled as warfare agents. The hosts link this historical research to the recent discovery of U.S.-funded biolabs in Ukraine.
Referencing a documentary from the National Constitution Center, the segment highlights how eugenics was accepted as "solid science" by top American thinkers in the early 20th century. The movement provided a "scientific solution" to political problems like poverty and homelessness. The hosts draw parallels to modern issues, suggesting that things like bioweapons or untested vaccines are framed as scientific necessities to solve social crises.
