40 - Phage

Nov 12, 2018

Discover the forgotten history of bacteriophages, once potent in treating infections but faded by the 1950s. From love trysts to KGB executions, the resurgence of phage therapy in the 21st century offers hope against antibiotic resistance.

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Introduction

00:00 • 2min

Exploring the Fascinating World of Bacteriophages

01:36 • 2min

Exploring the Origins of Life, the Ganges River, and Medical Discoveries

03:21 • 4min

The Rise and Fall of Bacteriophage Therapy

07:12 • 24min

The Rise of Antibiotic Resistance and the Potential of Phage Therapy

31:21 • 12min

Water Purification in the Backcountry and Course on Comparative Biology

43:27 • 4min

Exploring the Influence of Phages on Epidemic Dynamics

47:45 • 5min

Bacteriophages -- viruses that target and kill bacteria -- were one of the most promising medical treatments of the early 20th century, and were used to treat all sorts of infections, from cholera to staph, and everything in between. But by the 1950s, they had all but died out in the West. This episode tells the story of the humble phage, from its discovery in the waters of the Ganges, love trysts ending in a KGB execution, and to a resurgence of this once forgotten therapy in the 21st century as an answer to antibiotic resistance.

Sources:

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