Measles and TB evolved from diseases of our cattle, influenza from a disease of pigs, and smallpox possibly from a disease of camels. The Americas had very few native domesticated animal species from which humans could acquire such diseases.

Quote by Jared Diamond

Topics: Jared Diamond Quotes

Some people have much more pull than other people. But when I say that the...

Some people have much more pull than other people. But when I say that the...

The southward advance of native African farmers with Central African crops halted in Natal, beyond...

The southward advance of native African farmers with Central African crops halted in Natal, beyond...

I've always been interested in a lot of things, and a lot of things at...

I've always been interested in a lot of things, and a lot of things at...

Take air quality in the United States today: It's about 30 percent better than it...

Take air quality in the United States today: It's about 30 percent better than it...

Why did human development proceed at such different rates on different continents for the last...

Why did human development proceed at such different rates on different continents for the last...

Lest those islands still seem to you too remote in space and time to be...

Lest those islands still seem to you too remote in space and time to be...

The broadest pattern of history - namely, the differences between human societies on different continents...

The broadest pattern of history - namely, the differences between human societies on different continents...

I've worked very hard in this book to keep the lines of communication open. I...

I've worked very hard in this book to keep the lines of communication open. I...

Eurasia ended up with the most domesticated animal species in part because it's the world's...

Eurasia ended up with the most domesticated animal species in part because it's the world's...

Introspection and preserved writings give us far more insight into the ways of past humans...

Introspection and preserved writings give us far more insight into the ways of past humans...

All human societies go through fads in which they temporarily either adopt practices of little...

All human societies go through fads in which they temporarily either adopt practices of little...

Science is often misrepresented as the body of knowledge acquired by performing replicated controlled experiments...

Science is often misrepresented as the body of knowledge acquired by performing replicated controlled experiments...

It's striking that Native Americans evolved no devastating epidemic diseases to give to Europeans, in...

It's striking that Native Americans evolved no devastating epidemic diseases to give to Europeans, in...

The rate of human invention is faster, and the rate of cultural loss is slower,...

The rate of human invention is faster, and the rate of cultural loss is slower,...

Tasmanian history is a study of human isolation unprecedented except in science fiction - namely,...

Tasmanian history is a study of human isolation unprecedented except in science fiction - namely,...

Thousands of years ago, humans domesticated every possible large wild mammal species fulfilling all those...

Thousands of years ago, humans domesticated every possible large wild mammal species fulfilling all those...

Knowledge is the true organ of sight not the eyes

Knowledge is the true organ of sight not the eyes

A man is never astonished that he doesn't know what another does, but he is...

A man is never astonished that he doesn't know what another does, but he is...

After sleeping through a hundred million centuries we have finally opened our eyes on a...

After sleeping through a hundred million centuries we have finally opened our eyes on a...

It is a commonplace of modern technology that problems have solutions before there is knowledge...

It is a commonplace of modern technology that problems have solutions before there is knowledge...