Challenging an Epidemic of Misinformation

mind & bodyNLM Circulating Now1986–1988 · United States

Challenging an Epidemic of Misinformation

the gist

In October 1986, U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop released a 36-page report on AIDS explaining the disease, how it spread and how to protect yourself, including by using condoms. Koop argued that AIDS was best treated as a chronic disease to be managed, not a plague to be met with mandatory testing and quarantine. In 1988 a condensed eight-page version, titled Understanding AIDS, was mailed to every American household, the largest mailing in the country's history. Its plain language was unusual for a federal health document of the time.

so what

Koop's approach shifted the debate from morality toward medical care and civil rights. His report projected 270,000 AIDS cases by 1991, but reported cases were about 206,000, which he credited to education.

fun fact

C. Everett Koop was a pediatric surgeon before he became Surgeon General.

more on this

background

Charles Everett Koop (October 14, 1916 – February 25, 2013) was an American pediatric surgeon and public health administrator who served as the 13th surgeon general of the United States under President Ronald Reagan from 1982 to 1989. According to the Associated Press, "Koop was the only surgeon general to become a household name" due to his frequent public presence around the HIV/AIDS crisis of the 1980s.

Koop was known for his work on tobacco use, AIDS, and abortion, and for his support of the rights of children with disabilities.

From Wikipedia: C. Everett Koop (CC BY-SA 4.0) ↗ · text CC BY-SA 4.0

see

New restoration by Adam Cuerden , from a United States Publ…, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The original uploader was J.J. at English Wikipedia . Later…, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

NIH History Office from Bethesda, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

key facts

Born: 14 October 1916
Died: 25 February 2013
Known as: physician, pediatric surgeon

Facts: Wikidata (CC0)

U.S. National Library of Medicine

Illustrative photo · J.J. at English Wikipedia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

source: NLM Circulating Now ↗

politics

Trump and Netanyahu reportedly clash over whether to resume military action against Iran

the gist

Israeli reports also say the cabinet directed the military to prepare for a possible new attack on Iran.

so what

The United States and Israel have been closely aligned on Iran's nuclear programme and regional threats, so open disagreement between their leaders over military strategy is unusual and closely watched. Whether to resume strikes is a decision with consequences for shipping, oil markets and the wider Middle East.

fun fact

Benjamin Netanyahu has served as Prime Minister of Israel for more years in total than any other person.

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Data: GDELT Project

Illustrative photo · Israel Belkind and Fanny Abramovitch (original) “The Provis…, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

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supplementary video · Epimetheus on YouTube ↗

world cultures & travelWikivoyageclassic9th–15th century · Siem Reap, Cambodia

Angkor was the largest pre-industrial city on Earth, covering about 3,000 square kilometres

the gist

Angkor, near Siem Reap in northern Cambodia, was the capital of the Khmer Empire, which ruled much of mainland Southeast Asia between roughly the 9th and 15th centuries. At its height the city spread across about 3,000 square kilometres, making it the largest pre-industrial city on Earth by area. Its growth depended on water: huge reservoirs called barays, along with canals and embankments, stored monsoon rain and carried it to rice fields. That system let farmers harvest more than once a year and fed a very large population through the dry season. The temple complex of Angkor Wat, built in the early 12th century, is the best-known monument and still stands at the heart of the park.

how it works

The Khmer kings built enormous rectangular reservoirs that caught monsoon rain during the wet season. Earthen dykes and canals moved that water into rice paddies, so farmers could grow crops across much of the year. The surplus food supported craftsmen, builders and the workforce that raised the temples.

so what

Angkor shows how a society without industrial machinery could build a city on a scale that rivals modern metropolises, using engineering and water management instead. Some historians link its decline to drought, flooding and shifts in its water systems, which makes it a long-running case study in how cities depend on managing water. The site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most important archaeological landscapes in Southeast Asia.

fun fact

The outline of Angkor Wat appears on the national flag of Cambodia.