This would make for a great House episode. Patient with previous history of leukemia has spontaneous, seemingly miraculous recovery, going on a press circuit tour only to suddenly develop trouble breathing and collapses. The team eventually works out that the patient developed aspergillosis from environmental factors (maybe their job?) and it's keeping their cancer at bay, but there's a risk of relapse if they treat the aspergillosis that's currently killing them.
Pneumonia is not a disease, it is a condition descriptor. It simply means fluid in the lungs that impairs breathing, roughly. You can have bacteria causing the condition, otherwise known as Bacterial Pneumonia. Or, supposedly in this case, Fungal Pneumonia.
I can't find it now, but I could swear I'd read an analysis years ago which concluded that even Aspergillus is "wrong" because it presupposes that the cohort suffered an early demise. My memory of the paper was that, when controlled for actuarial data of the time and the given risk factors (like Carnarvon's car accident over a decade before), the expedition members' lifespans and causes of death were all statistically indistinguishable from the general population's. Essentially, the entire foundational premise that they died in measurably different ways or at a different range of ages compared to the general population is simply incorrect to begin with, and we need not look for ANY "causative" agent like Aspergillus because - turns out - there's no "effect" needing explanation.
We keep finding new and incredible things fungi can do seemingly every other week. I might not be into mycology, but I can't deny some of what they find is really, really cool.
I almost died because of aspergillosis. Thank god for my pulmonologist and no thanks to my insurance (BCBS) who tried to prevent me from getting my medication.
Turning a spooky legend into a story about a real toxin, then a promising molecule, is a satisfying arc, and the careful hedging along the way makes it land better.
The fact the molecules potentially behind King tut's "curse" are called RIPS is very funny 😅
We use cookies, device fingerprinting and cross-device tracking to personalise content, serve targeted advertising, and analyse how you use our site across your devices. By clicking Accept all you consent to the use of these tracking technologies. Your data may be used to build a profile of your interests and show you personalised ads on other sites.
Privacy policy
Comments (20)
Daily Junction discussion mixed with clearly attributed comments from the original video provider.
Join in — free. Comments on Daily Junction are for members, so real names stay rare and bots stay out.
One field. We email you a 6-digit code — no password needed. Your comment is kept while you do it.
Under 13? You’ll need a parent’s OK first — it takes them one click.
no, wait, we're talking pharaohs..
It's time to d-d-d-d-d-defeat cancer!