Extra Life: A Short History of Living Longer
Explore the science and medical innovations that conquered some of the world's deadliest diseases and doubled life expectations for many across the globe.
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Seasons & Episodes
1. Vaccines
Discover the role vaccination plays in our growing ability to prevent the spread of illness. Travel through the remarkable history of vaccines and learn how new ones are developed when never-before-seen diseases like COVID-19 emerge.
2. Medical Drugs
Learn about the surprisingly recent invention of medicine that combats illness directly, such as antibiotics. From the accidental discovery of penicillin to today’s hunt for antivirals, this history underpins work to find COVID-19 treatments.
3. Data
Track the importance of data mapping and analysis in the quest to improve public health. The painstaking work of past data detectives made us aware of epidemic "curves" as well as the extent of health inequalities among different U.S. communities.
4. Behavior
Behavior examines the importance of public engagement during a health crisis, from the discovery that the simple act of handwashing could save lives in a 19th Century Viennese maternity hospital - to facemasks and lockdowns used to combat the Spanish flu 100 years ago, along with what we are experiencing today.
