What will our future look like if we take care of animal health? The second season of the waiting podcast Zootopique, produced by ANSES (National Agency for Food, Environment and Safety at Work) in partnership with the site. The conversation explores this question through four half-hour episodes, mixing dystopian fiction and expert interviews.
The first part of the new series was recorded with virologists Beatrice Grasland (Anses) and Bruno Lina (International Center for Research in Infectious Diseases, Lyon). It focuses on the history of avian influenza viruses, their circulation across continents and species, and the mechanisms by which they acquire the ability to circulate in human populations. The next three programs, due online by summer, will address fish health, antibiotic resistance and disease adaptation to climate change, respectively.
Hosted by journalist Benoît Tonson, each episode of the podcast opens with a fictional news story. Set in 2031, it takes a humorous look at the more or less likely consequences of disrupting our ecosystems. The organization of the Summer Olympics in Novosibirsk, Siberia, the arrival of the tsetse fly in Andalusia, the destruction of French winemaking in favor of British competitors, the emergence of a terrible virus in the breeding of 1 million pigs in the Saint-Etienne region. . Or, the rush of the elderly to the Ardèche, where the tiger mosquito abounds, after a controversial study by a certain Professor Oultra highlighted the effectiveness of its bites in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease…
Thinking about tomorrow’s threats
Such scenarios, as crazy as they may seem, raise real questions. What is the point of monitoring the many strains of influenza viruses circulating in birds? What do we mean by animal welfare and how does considering this concept lead us to rethink our food production system? Will global warming contribute to the emergence of diseases hitherto restricted to other latitudes? And will our children be condemned to spend their vacation “under glass” tomorrow to protect themselves from new viruses? In order to provide some answers and dispassionate debates, “Zootopique” crosses the views of experts from ANSES and other institutions. Their exchange results in a state of scientific knowledge, but also a number of questions that still need to be resolved. A useful podcast to better reflect on tomorrow’s threats.
Source: Le Figaro
I am John Sinkler, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in writing about entertainment-related topics and have been doing so for several years now. My work has been featured on multiple platforms and I’m proud to say that it’s gained recognition from many people in the industry. Aside from working at Buna Times, I also write freelance articles for other publications.