Vaccines are one of the strongest and most cost-effective strategies to reduce outbreaks everywhere. But the presence of vaccines also comes with droves of misinformation about them — from false connections to autism to allegations that COVID-19 vaccines contained microchips. An epidemiologist explains the scientific limits and global consequences of not properly managing vaccines, highlighting the unfinished quest for an HIV vaccine to the resurgence of other preventable diseases, like measles, due to misinformation and declining trust. Experts explain how global vaccine equity is necessary to protect us all, and underinvestment now would leave the world in danger, if or when the next pandemic rolls around.
Guest: Dr. Seth Berkley, epidemiologist and former CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance
Then, a new app from the creative force behind some of the most beloved puzzles in the New York Times. Spark reframes crossword trivia and other mini-games as cognitive rehab. In an effort to break habits that hijack our focus, like doomscrolling and other forms of digital overload, Spark seeks to return to intentional activities that challenge our brains with bite-sized problem-solving. The app’s creator emphasizes how even the smallest forms of learning can help the brain stretch its muscles and protect it from the dreaded “brain rot.”
Guest: Chandi Deitmer, co-founder of The Mind Company