This whole chapter is striking, particularly when you consider all that came after (the book was first published in March ‘97) 📚

“We are still talking about the original Wuhan strain coronavirus vaccine. Sad!” Attempted Trumpism aside, VP makes a good point. The short time it took from sequencing to mRNA vaccines made headlines. FDA then made provisions for quick review of sequence changes. What happened? 📰

Ann Druyan on localism. Timeless 📚

American cities never stood a chance 📷

It’s only the first episode, but The Joy of Why looks to me like the podcast RadioLab used to be, in content if not in sound design. Can’t wait for more 🎙

Good morning 📰

It was a brave move, to release a TV show/limited series set in the aftermath of a world-ending respiratory virus pandemic right at the tail end of covid. Good thing that the execution was flawless, from the dream-like cinematography,¹ through casting, to Satoshi Kon-like editing. Notes of Watchmen, too, in how the source material is to be taken seriously but not literally when converting a book into something else.

Importantly, Station Eleven is set in, but is not about, a post-apocalyptic Earth, in much the same way Titanic was set in, but was not about, a sinking ship. Less romantic love and more parent/guardian/child love/hate relationships here, which is why it takes 9+ hours instead of 3+ to tell the story; but a full, rich, meaningful story is told, and told well. Kudos.

📺 Station Eleven 👍