Ron Barrett

Aug 15, 2024 | theinvadingsea.com | Ron Barrett

By Ron Barrett, Macalester CollegeStrange as it may seem, early germ theorists could tell us a lot about today’s attitudes toward climate change. While researching for a new book about the history of emerging infections, I found many similarities between early debates over the existence of microbes and current debates over the existence of global warming. Both controversies reveal the struggles of perceiving an unseen threat.

Jul 15, 2024 | minnpost.com | Ron Barrett |Macalester College

Strange as it may seem, early germ theorists could tell us a lot about today’s attitudes toward climate change. While researching for a new book about the history of emerging infections, I found many similarities between early debates over the existence of microbes and current debates over the existence of global warming. Both controversies reveal the struggles of perceiving an unseen threat. Both reveal the influence of economic interests that benefit from the status quo.

Jul 15, 2024 | innerself.com | Ron Barrett |Macalester College |Christiana Figueres |Tom Rivett-Carnac

Monster Soup, an 1828 political cartoon by William Heath, shows a woman horrified by a magnified drop of Thames River water. Wellcome Images via WikimediaArticle Summary:Addressing climate change may not require everyone to believe in it. Historical parallels, such as the acceptance of germ theory, show that practical actions based on shared interests can lead to significant progress.

Jul 13, 2024 | discovermagazine.com | Ron Barrett |Macalester College

Strange as it may seem, early germ theorists could tell us a lot about today’s attitudes toward climate change. While researching for a new book about the history of emerging infections, I found many similarities between early debates over the existence of microbes and current debates over the existence of global warming. Both controversies reveal the struggles of perceiving an unseen threat. Both reveal the influence of economic interests that benefit from the status quo.