So, let’s talk about viruses and learn about their good side with Dr. Richard White III…
After going through the doom and gloom that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought upon us, most of you guys probably don’t see the good side of a virus.
I mean, that’s understandable, given how millions of people have died worldwide and many have suffered from the fear of death. And unfortunately, it may not even end there, because there are a lot of different viral families out there that could cause the next pandemic.
This is why we mustn’t sleep on these, but at the same time, educate ourselves about the different viruses’ effects.
Because contrary to popular belief, there are actually a lot of positive attributes and applications that we can use viruses for.
We cannot deny that the “big C” has caused us severe suffering, fear, and pain, but in today’s episode, we’ll learn that NOT all viruses do harm and death. Some even do the work to protect us, our environment, and our planet!
So, sit back and relax as we blow your mind with amazing facts on viruses with Dr. Richard White III today.
Guest’s bio:
Dr. Richard Allen White III is a computational molecular synthetic virologist whose interest, passion, and work revolve around understanding viruses. He is an Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, North Carolina, in the Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics.
Dr. White III is part of the CIPHER team, where he helps build infectious disease capabilities for both environmental and human health risks. Additionally, he has multiple projects in NASA, USCA, NIH, etc., and works at the North Carolina Research Campus, focusing on human nutrition and human health over the last four years.
Why you need to check this episode:
- Discover the good side of viruses;
- Understand that not all viruses are bad and harmful (there are those which protect us); and
- Recognize the need for taking action, especially in preserving our ecosystems which at present are in a state of degradation
“Nature has provided the blueprint on how we can deal with these problems; we just have to understand it. It’s not all doom and gloom; we can change very subtle things in the way we understand and nurture the microbiome in our own body and how we nurture and feed our environment…By understanding the microbes, we can nurture and feed them, and then we’ll have these lush, resurrected ecosystems that are [currently] in a state of degradation.” – Dr. Berry Pierre
Topics Covered:
00:00 – Introduction: Welcoming this week’s special guest, Dr. Richard White III
01:18 – Get to know our guest: Dr. Richard gives a brief introduction of himself and the work that he does as he leaves a brief disclaimer in between
02:45 – The backstory: What was it about viruses that made him decide it was the direction he wanted to go to?
06:30 – More friend than foe: Not all viruses are bad. There are those which protect us
13:18 – Bacteria and virus: The reason why both are important and why we need both in moderation
16:57 – Did you know: Some of the ecological and industrial services that viruses serve to our planet
25:24 – Working with the graduate students: Dr. Richard on measuring the viral particles present at the Great Salt Lake
30:22 – Resurrection: There are dying ecosystems out there! Let us work together to preserve them
31:26 – The RAW Lab: Dr. Richard shares how the lab work intertwines with his work as a professor
37:01 – Connect with Dr. Richard White III and check their work by visiting their website (https://rawlab.org/)
Quotes:
“My conversation today [does] not reflect the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. It is my take on the current matters of science based on literature and the best of my knowledge.” – Dr. Richard White III
“Not all viruses are bad. They do so much for our planet. Obviously, there are ones that cause diseases and pandemics…but there are so many that protect us. I mean, there are more viruses in your mouth right now than there are stars in the Milky Way galaxy that are protecting you from disease and infection.” – Dr. Richard White III
“We drink trillions of them a day, we breathe them in, there’s billions of them in the soil, [and] they’re on your skin. They’re everywhere and they protect you. They’re more ‘friend’ than ‘foe’.” – Dr. Richard White III
“Our NASA work suggests that viruses are amplifiers of life.” – Dr. Richard White III
“That’s the mass of them. That’s how small of a mass they are; yet, they provide life and nutrients to the whole ecosystem.” – Dr. Richard White III
“We should remind people that there are ecosystems that are dying and we need to preserve them.” – Dr. Richard White III
Connect with Dr. Richard White III:
Let’s Connect:
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