Incubation

The Viral Universe Inside Us

The world is full of undiscovered viruses. They’re in the air we breathe, the ground we walk on, and they’re inside our bellies. For this last episode of the season, we’r

Measles: The Cancer Killer?

We thought we knew everything there was to know about measles. But in recent years, new research has revealed that the virus attacks the immune system and creates effects

Mosquitoes, Viruses and the History of the World

For thousands of years, humans have shaped mosquito evolution while mosquitoes have shaped human history. Today on the show, Noah Rose, an ecologist at UC San Diego, tell

HIV: Racing to Identify a Killer

After four decades of dedicated research on HIV, scientists have made extraordinary progress in treating the disease. But we still don’t have a vaccine or a cure. On toda

Shingles: The Mystery of Pain

For a long time, people could tell that there was some connection between chickenpox and shingles. But exactly how they were related was a mystery. Then, in the 1950s, a

Epstein-Barr Virus: The Fog of Discovery

Almost everyone on earth has Epstein-Barr virus. Usually it's pretty mild - you get sick, you get better. But the virus lives on in your body forever. Today, we talk with

Ebola: Preventing the Next Pandemic

What did the 2014 Ebola outbreak teach us about preventing future pandemics? Our guests this week, Christian Happi and Pardis Sabeti, are world experts on disease surveil

Rabies: When Monsters are Real

Why has rabies invaded our nightmares for centuries? Author and veterinarian Monica Murphy tells us about the cultural history of rabies (which involves vampires and were

Introducing Incubation Season 2

Incubation Season 2 begins October 17th. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Phages: Bacteria’s Worst Nightmare

Can bacteriophages help us in the fight against antibiotic-resistant infections? Author Tom Ireland joins the show to discuss the fascinating world of bacteriophages, als

Herpes: Symptoms and Stigma

Why do we all know so little about the Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV), despite the fact that herpes infections are common and chronic? First, we get some Herpes 101 from rese

HPV: Unpacking Papilloma

What can the mythical jackalope teach us about HPV? Author Michael Branch tells the story of how scientists first discovered horned rabbits, and how their findings paved

Influenza: In the Wild

What risk does H5N1 pose to humans? We hear from David Quammen, author of “Spillover,” about the vast and complicated interplay between influenza, the environment, animal

The Common Cold: A Viral Mystery

What do we know – and not know – about the suite of viral infections known as “the common cold”? We speak with curator Katie Dabin about the UK’s Common Cold Unit, where

RSV: The Quest for a New Vaccine

What is ‘structure-based’ vaccine design? Before scientists used these techniques to design vaccines against Covid, they were testing them in the lab to combat RSV. Keren

Polio: The Last Mile

Why has polio been so challenging to eradicate? Karen Torghele tells the story of two polio vaccines and the two rival scientists who developed them: Albert Sabin and Jon

Smallpox: Gone but Not Forgotten

What can we learn from the centuries-long quest to eradicate smallpox, once the scourge of humanity? And how did it set the stage for all vaccines to come? First we meet

Introducing: Incubation

A new podcast that traces the history of humanity through viruses. New episodes weekly starting September 7. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.