Season 2 Epsiode 5 - Going Air-Borne with Carl Zimmer

Carl Zimmer, science journalist and author, discusses his fifteenth book, Airborne: The Hidden History of the Life We Breathe. Zimmer’s career includes two decades of science reporting for the New York Times and early editorial work at Discover magazine.
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Airborne documents the science of aerobiology and the historical refusal by public health institutions to recognize airborne disease transmission. The conversation highlights the neglected epidemiological research of William and Mildred Wells, the fragmented nature of atmospheric sciences, and how the complex realities of scientific validation collide with public policy during global health crises.

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Summary

• [00:00:35] - Tripp introduces Carl Zimmer and the concept of aerobiology in Airborne.
• [00:01:04] - Zimmer defines the atmosphere as an active, living habitat rather than an empty void.
• [00:02:05] - The origin of Airborne stems from Zimmer's COVID-19 reporting for the New York Times.
• [00:07:48] - Zimmer details his shift to historical research and uncovering unexamined records at the Rockefeller Archive Center.
• [00:11:12] - Zimmer explains his non-linear writing process and the realities of managing long-term book deadlines.
• [00:13:10] - The extensive editing required to trim tangents, utilizing Charles Lindbergh's 1933 atmospheric sampling as an example.
• [00:17:06] - The persistent silos within aerobiology that complicated the global understanding of COVID-19 transmission.
• [00:19:58] - The necessity of rigorous fact-checking and extensive citations in scientific literature.
• [00:25:18] - The historical dominance of miasma theory in ancient disease transmission models.
• [00:29:48] - How the rise of germ theory led to a strict dogma rejecting airborne infection.
• [00:33:32] - Mildred Wells' pioneering but obscured research on ultraviolet light disinfection in schools.
• [00:37:28] - The messy reality of the scientific process and the difficulty of establishing compelling evidence for policy changes.
• [00:43:31] - A rapid-fire assessment of COVID-19 facts, masking efficacy, and the lab-leak origins debate.
• [00:53:36] - Zimmer provides advice for aspiring science writers regarding topic selection and formatting.
• [00:59:35] - Upcoming projects, including a new podcast focused on the science of aging and healthspan.

More from Carl

• CarlZimmer.com
• Carl Zimmer's page at the New York Times and Yale University​
• The Future of Ageing Podcast
• More Books from Carl

Books Mentioned

• Breasts: A Natural and Unnatural History by Florence Williams