Project

Stopping the Next One: Scientists Race to Prevent Human Encroachment on Wildlife From Causing the Next Pandemic

Today, Zoonotic diseases cause an incredible 2.4 billion cases of human illness each year and 2.2 million deaths. It’s about to get far worse. Coronavirus is only the beginning. In this global explainer series we visit every continent to meet the scientists, vets, doctors and conservationists exploring what current and past pandemic can tell us about preventing the next one.

With six stories on six continents, each piece will explore a different example of how humans’ relationship with nature has sparked a disease outbreak in the past, and risks doing so in the near future. From deforestation of the Amazon leading to an increase in malaria, to intensive farming in Europe causing a new virus to emerge, we’ll illustrate how our disruption of the world’s ecosystems in turn disrupts us. And we’ll shine a light on the unprecedented global collaborations taking place to prevent the next pandemic.