TAGGED POSTS / special

18Jun

2026

Raywat / blog, history / 0 comment

The Most Influential Book in History?

Earlier this week, a prominent “public intellectual”, who shall remain unnamed for reasons of relevance, posted the following:

Regardless of how I might feel about the person making the claim, the sentiment got me thinking. I’m not a Christian, nor do I harbour any particular ill will toward Christians. But there’s no denying that the Christian Bible is indeed on the short list of the world’s most “influential” books.

But what are the other contenders? And how can we assess this systematically? Let’s take a stab at it. (more…)

13Jun

2026

Raywat / A.I., blog, politics, science / 0 comment

The World’s First Trillionaire

I’m sure you’ve seen the news. Now that his company SpaceX has gone public, in the world’s most valued and impactful IPO, the sale has made its owner, Elon Musk, the world’s first trillionaire.

By inflation-adjusted purchasing power, Musk is now probably among the top richest individuals ever recorded, maybe number one. Even by share of the global economy, he’s near the top, though probably still below historic rulers like Augustus. Still, he’s on the short of list of the most powerful individuals in human history.

I have some thoughts on the matter, mostly about the company itself. Many of you will disagree. Some of you might be angered by my take. I’m sure I’ll hear about it in the comments. (more…)

22May

2026

Raywat / blog, epidemiology / 0 comment

I Guess We Have to Talk About Ebola

(Because this topic being what it is, I think it’s probably important to remind readers that I’m a Global Health Epidemiologist and Professor with the Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences at the University of Ottawa. I’m not a direct researcher of Ebola, but developing some familiarity with the disease is unavoidable in my overall work with the health care systems of lower-income countries.)

The life of an epidemiologist in the 2020s is never boring. Last week, the big news was hantavirus. Today, it’s Ebola. If you don’t know, there is a significant Ebola outbreak happening right now in Africa. As of May 20–22, WHO and ECDC reports indicate that there are approximately 600 cases, 139 deaths, 51 laboratory-confirmed cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and 2 confirmed imported cases in Uganda. The actual numbers may be higher because surveillance in conflict zones is difficult. WHO officials have said the virus may have circulated undetected for months before recognition. (more…)

14May

2026

Raywat / blog, COVID-19, epidemiology, politics / 0 comment

The World Is Already Forgetting the Lessons of COVID

Six years after a pandemic killed millions, shuttered economies, and exposed the fault lines of every health system on earth, the world is quietly going back to sleep.

The signs are everywhere. Pandemic preparedness budgets are being trimmed. Vaccines are being demonized and diminished. The political urgency that briefly made public health a front-page priority has dissolved into something polite experts call “pandemic fatigue”.

A new report from the Disease Control Priorities project, published this year by the World Bank, phrases the problem with blunt clarity: “The global response to pandemic threats remains inadequate, failing to translate the lessons of COVID-19 into sustained investment and preparedness.” The editors warn that the old pattern of panic during a crisis and neglect once it passes “persists, amplified by pandemic fatigue, denialism, misinformation, resistance to public health measures, and limited international cooperation.” (more…)

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