The eradication of smallpox is one of humanity’s greatest triumphs, but if we want to eliminate the risk of future pandemics, we need to look beyond vaccination. Just like fire, pandemics are a natural force that can cause immense destruction. To protect ourselves, we must develop a suite of strategies that focus on prevention, detection, passive protection and active protection. With effective early-warning systems and improved regulations of building materials, we can prevent pandemics from spreading out of control and save lives. Read full article here
Oddities
Why Do Modern Pop Songs Have So Many Credited Writers?
The music industry has changed dramatically over the last few decades – with the number of songwriters credited on number one hits more than doubling. This is due to a combination of factors, including money, the computer and a changing definition of what songwriting is. For example, if The Beatles’ classic “I Feel Fine” was released today, it would likely have four writers credited instead of two, due to the influence of producers, samples and interpolations. With the rise of lawsuits, artists now preemptively add songwriter credits to their songs, even if the similarities between their song and the source material are coincidental. It all goes to show that the music industry is becoming more complex and competitive. Read full article here
Merv
March 29, 2023
