The Life Scientific Bill Gates on vaccines, conspiracy theories and the pleasures of pickleball
Aug 20, 2024
Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft and philanthropist, shares his journey from tech titan to global health champion. He discusses the crucial role of vaccines in reducing child mortality and the ongoing battles with vaccine skepticism. Gates highlights the need for equitable access to healthcare innovations and reflects on the impact of his personal life changes on his philanthropic vision. He also touches on lighter topics like his love for pickleball and the necessity of continued investment in global health initiatives.
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Vaccines Dramatically Cut Child Mortality
- Vaccines drove a rapid global reduction in child deaths by making prevention affordable and accessible.
- Bill Gates credits vaccines like rotavirus as primary reasons child mortality fell from 10M to 5M annually.
Pickleball As A Simple Sport
- Bill Gates plays both tennis and pickleball and finds pickleball easy to learn on smaller courts.
- He enjoys both sports equally and appreciates pickleball's accessibility for casual play.
Early Programming Roots At Lakeside
- Gates began programming as a teen at Lakeside after access to a school terminal sparked his curiosity.
- He wrote early programs like Noughts and Crosses and later built scheduling and payroll software for the school and local firms.
