Email just received from proposed TED speaker

"I personally believe that the greatest threat to our species is not global warming, warfare, poverty, or environmental degradation – the greatest threat is drug-resistant bacteria. Should flesh-eating Strep someday exchange the right genes with drug-resistant Staph, the resulting superbug could conceivably melt the human race like a wax museum on fire..."

Booked!
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19 responses
Tag with 'fascinating'
— Joshua Baker
scary
— Federico Pomi
true but as in all evolution, and all natural cycles, some will survive and it will have little to do power, money or influence. Matter of fact, we westernized types are at a sever disadvantage should something like this break out. Our immune systems are crap.
— maddiep
I think the word 'interesting' comes to mind.....
— JonGretar
at least someone would have 5 minutes of fun naming the new superbug.
— daniel
It's a combination of a few things
- Overuse of antibiotics in both the community and our food chain.
- Drug companies have been resting on their laurels in regards to antibiotics. They've been milking patents for all they are worth, but have nothing new in the pipeline because cardiovascular and oncology drugs are more lucrative.
— Marty
Lawks!
— Lucy1972
"melt the human race like a wax museum on fire..."

Wow, that *is* eloquent. Terrifying. But eloquent.

— 101ofawolf
Ah, but we already have fire and several wax museums are still standing
— Jur9en
so many examples of devastating plague etc. throughout history - certainly naive perhaps to think we're beyond that now, somehow invulnerable
— richpb7
Maybe I'm too optimistic. But. A small but. Let us assume that
— jobsworth
Very soon the unthinkable will have been thought. The unimaginable will have materialized into reality and life as we know it will be gone.
— gatah360
Sounds to me like this mystery guy/gal and Nathan Wolfe should meet.
— brainpicker
Most people will just mutate into superhuman beasts that cant survive in sunlight. After a few years the self proclaimed legend Will come up with a cure and save us.
— Voxar
Sounds like paranoia to me. IF "flesh-eating Strep SOMEDAY exchanges the RIGHT genes with drug-resistant Staph. . ." That's a mighty big if.
— Gus
Every simile has its limitations, as has the "wax museum" one, but that doesn't negate its main point. Bacteria swap genes continually in uncountable numbers, a constant swirl of random experiments that are offered an extraordinary payoff when one clicks. That's where the endless stream of influenzas comes from, most memorably the disastrous strain of 1918 which still resonates in today's discussions. The trade of a few staph/strep genes, although a one in a billion improbability, is already being tested billions of times in nature as I write this. I look forward to hearing this visionary at TED 2010.
— jeffreyrodman
Doesn't it say that one should not resist evil? What happens if I let there be no remedy for the sickness I see in the world? I will become totally diseased and spring to light? What a joyous idea, compared to the world's attempt to solve a problem that will never be resolved, because the world is an attack on God, a blatant denial of our reality that is singular and devoid of sickness, pain and death.
— Albanski
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