Misc
Explainer: What to Know About Monkeypox
Explainer: What to Know About Monkeypox
The COVID-19 pandemic is still fresh in the minds of the people around the world, so it comes as no surprise that recent outbreaks of another virus are grabbing headlines.
Monkeypox outbreaks have now been reported in multiple countries, and it has scientists paying close attention. For everyone else, numerous questions come to the surface:
- How serious is this virus?
- How contagious is it?
- Could monkeypox develop into a new pandemic?
Below, we answer these questions and more.
What is Monkeypox?
Monkeypox is a virus in the Orthopoxvirus genus which also includes the variola virus (which causes smallpox) and the cowpox virus. The primary symptoms include fever, swollen lymph nodes, and a distinctive bumpy rash.
There are two major strains of the virus that pose very different risks:
- Congo Basin strain: 1 in 10 people infected with this strain have died
- West African strain: Approximately 1 in 100 people infected with this strain died
At the moment, health authorities in the UK have indicated they’re seeing the milder strain in patients there.
Where did Monkeypox Originate From?
The virus was originally discovered in the Democratic Republic of Congo in monkeys kept for research purposes (hence the name). Eventually, the virus made the jump to humans more than a decade after its discovery in 1958.
It is widely assumed that vaccination against another similar virus, smallpox, helped keep monkeypox outbreaks from occurring in human populations. Ironically, the successful eradication of smallpox, and eventual winding down of that vaccine program, has opened the door to a new viral threat. There is now a growing population of people who no longer have immunity against the virus.
Now that travel restrictions are lifting in many parts of the world, viruses are now able to hop between nations again. As of the publishing of this article, a handful of cases have now been reported in the U.S., Canada, the UK, and a number of European countries.
On the upside, contact tracing has helped authorities piece together the transmission of the virus. While cases are rare in Europe and North America, it is considered endemic in parts of West Africa. For example, the World Health Organization reports that Nigeria has experienced over 550 reported monkeypox cases from 2017 to today. The current UK outbreak originated from an individual who returned from a trip to Nigeria.
Could Monkeypox become a new pandemic?
Monkeypox, which primarily spreads through animal-to-human interaction, is not known to spread easily between humans. Most individuals infected with monkeypox pass the virus to between zero and one person, so outbreaks typically fizzle out. For this reason, the fact that outbreaks are occurring in several countries simultaneously is concerning for health authorities and organizations that monitor viral transmission. Experts are entertaining the possibility that the virus’ rate of transmission has increased.
Images of people covered in monkeypox lesions are shocking, and people are understandably concerned by this virus, but the good news is that members of the general public have little to fear at this stage.
I think the risk to the general public at this point, from the information we have, is very, very low.
–Tom Inglesby, Director, Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security
» For up-to-date information on monkeypox cases, check out Global.Health’s tracking spreadsheet
Misc
Sharpen Your Thinking with These 10 Powerful Cognitive Razors
Here are 10 razors, or rules of thumb, that help simplify decision-making, inspired by a list curated by the investor and thought leader Sahil Bloom.

Improve Your Decision-Making with These 10 Cognitive Razors
The average adult makes about 35,000 conscious decisions each day.
Given this sheer volume of choice, how do we ensure we’re making the right decisions, day in and day out, without becoming exhausted?
Using insights from investor and thought leader Sahil Bloom, this graphic shares 10 cognitive razors, or rules of thumb, that can help you simplify your decision-making.
We’ve organized Bloom’s favorite cognitive razors into three overarching categories, which we dive into in further detail below.
Location, Location, Location
The first theme is location, and the importance of being at the right place at the right time.
The Luck Razor falls into this category because it highlights the importance of putting yourself out there. According to the Luck Razor, when choosing between two paths, pick the one with the largest “luck surface area,” or the path that offers you the most opportunity to get lucky.
This is because when you’re networking, meeting people, and building new relationships, you’re much more likely to stumble upon an opportunity than if you were sitting on your couch, not taking action.
The Rooms Razor follows a similar theme because it emphasizes the importance of your surroundings. It stresses that, if you have a choice between two rooms to walk into, choose the one where you’re most likely to be the dumbest person in the room.
While it’s a bit of an uncomfortable situation, it provides a greater opportunity for growth, as long as you check your ego at the door and listen to what others have to say.
Lastly, the Arena Razor reminds us that when we want something, we need to take the necessary steps to make it happen.
For instance, if you want to become a social media influencer, you need to start creating content and posting it online. It’s not easy to put yourself out there and take action, but if you want to play the game, you need to be in the arena.
The Power of Positive Thinking
The next theme is the power of mindset and positive thinking. This relates to how you view your life, the people you choose to surround yourself with, and how you interpret the actions and opinions of others.
According to the Gratitude Razor, when in doubt, don’t hesitate to show your gratitude to people who have supported you, or given you advice or opportunities.
Research studies have shown that expressing gratitude and giving thanks can be correlated with greater happiness, improved health, and stronger more meaningful relationships. So make sure to say thank you regularly, and tell your loved ones how much you appreciate their support.
It’s not just your mindset that’s important, though. The Optimist Razor recommends surrounding yourself with optimists, rather than pessimists. Pessimists may point out everything that could go wrong in a scenario, which might discourage you to break out of your comfort zone.
Optimism, on the other hand, will emphasize everything that could go right—and may even help you problem solve if you encounter problems along the way.
Keep Decision-Making Simple, Silly
The last one is quite simple, really: don’t overcomplicate things.
Occam’s Razor, which is named after the 14th-century scholar Franciscan friar William of Ockham, is generally interpreted as the following: when faced with a decision between two competing theories that generate the same outcome, the simplest theory is often the best one.
As Bloom says in this blog post, “simple assumptions [over] complex assumptions. If you have to believe a complex, intertwined series of assumptions in order to reach one specific conclusion, always ask whether there is a simple alternative assumption that fits.”
The ability to make things simple is also a good indicator of how deeply you understand something. According to the Feynman Razor, if you can’t explain a concept simply, then you don’t really understand it. So, if someone uses a ton of jargon or complexity to explain something, they could be masking a lack of deeper knowledge on the topic.
Editor’s note: For more information on cognitive razors and simplifying your decision-making, check out Sahil Bloom’s newsletter, or listen to his podcast episode where he talks about the most powerful razors he’s discovered so far in life.
Technology
Every Mission to Mars in One Visualization
This graphic shows a timeline of every mission to Mars since 1960, highlighting which ones have been successful and which ones haven’t.

Timeline: A Historical Look at Every Mission to Mars
Within our Solar System, Mars is one of the most similar planets to Earth—both have rocky landscapes, solid outer crusts, and cores made of molten rock.
Because of its similarities to Earth and proximity, humanity has been fascinated by Mars for centuries. In fact, it’s one of the most explored objects in our Solar System.
But just how many missions to Mars have we embarked on, and which of these journeys have been successful? This graphic by Jonathan Letourneau shows a timeline of every mission to Mars since 1960 using NASA’s historical data.
A Timeline of Mars Explorations
According to a historical log from NASA, there have been 48 missions to Mars over the last 60 years. Here’s a breakdown of each mission, and whether or not they were successful:
# | Launch | Name | Country | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1960 | Korabl 4 | USSR (flyby) | Failure |
2 | 1960 | Korabl 5 | USSR (flyby) | Failure |
3 | 1962 | Korabl 11 | USSR (flyby) | Failure |
4 | 1962 | Mars 1 | USSR (flyby) | Failure |
5 | 1962 | Korabl 13 | USSR (flyby) | Failure |
6 | 1964 | Mariner 3 | US (flyby) | Failure |
7 | 1964 | Mariner 4 | US (flyby) | Success |
8 | 1964 | Zond 2 | USSR (flyby) | Failure |
9 | 1969 | Mars 1969A | USSR | Failure |
10 | 1969 | Mars 1969B | USSR | Failure |
11 | 1969 | Mariner 6 | US (flyby) | Success |
12 | 1969 | Mariner 7 | US (flyby) | Success |
13 | 1971 | Mariner 8 | US | Failure |
14 | 1971 | Kosmos 419 | USSR | Failure |
15 | 1971 | Mars 2 Orbiter/Lander | USSR | Failure |
16 | 1971 | Mars 3 Orbiter/Lander | USSR | Success/Failure |
17 | 1971 | Mariner 9 | US | Success |
18 | 1973 | Mars 4 | USSR | Failure |
19 | 1973 | Mars 5 | USSR | Success |
20 | 1973 | Mars 6 Orbiter/Lander | USSR | Success/Failure |
21 | 1973 | Mars 7 Lander | USSR | Failure |
22 | 1975 | Viking 1 Orbiter/Lander | US | Success |
23 | 1975 | Viking 2 Orbiter/Lander | US | Success |
24 | 1988 | Phobos 1 Orbiter | USSR | Failure |
25 | 1988 | Phobos 2 Orbiter/Lander | USSR | Failure |
26 | 1992 | Mars Observer | US | Failure |
27 | 1996 | Mars Global Surveyor | US | Success |
28 | 1996 | Mars 96 | Russia | Failure |
29 | 1996 | Mars Pathfinder | US | Success |
30 | 1998 | Nozomi | Japan | Failure |
31 | 1998 | Mars Climate Orbiter | US | Failure |
32 | 1999 | Mars Polar Lander | US | Failure |
33 | 1999 | Deep Space 2 Probes (2) | US | Failure |
34 | 2001 | Mars Odyssey | US | Success |
35 | 2003 | Mars Express Orbiter/Beagle 2 Lander | ESA | Success/Failure |
36 | 2003 | Mars Exploration Rover - Spirit | US | Success |
37 | 2003 | Mars Exploration Rover - Opportunity | US | Success |
38 | 2005 | Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter | US | Success |
39 | 2007 | Phoenix Mars Lander | US | Success |
40 | 2011 | Mars Science Laboratory | US | Success |
41 | 2011 | Phobos-Grunt/Yinghuo-1 | Russia/China | Failure |
42 | 2013 | Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution | US | Success |
43 | 2013 | Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) | India | Success |
44 | 2016 | ExoMars Orbiter/Schiaparelli EDL Demo Lander | ESA/Russia | Success/Failure |
45 | 2018 | Mars InSight Lander | US | Success |
46 | 2020 | Hope Orbiter | UAE | Success |
47 | 2020 | Tianwen-1 Orbiter/Zhurong Rover | China | Success |
48 | 2020 | Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover | US | Success |
The first mission to Mars was attempted by the Soviets in 1960, with the launch of Korabl 4, also known as Mars 1960A.
As the table above shows, the voyage was unsuccessful. The spacecraft made it 120 km into the air, but its third-stage pumps didn’t generate enough momentum for it to stay in Earth’s orbit.
For the next few years, several more unsuccessful Mars missions were attempted by the USSR and then NASA. Then, in 1964, history was made when NASA launched the Mariner 4 and completed the first-ever successful trip to Mars.
The Mariner 4 didn’t actually land on the planet, but the spacecraft flew by Mars and was able to capture photos, which gave us an up-close glimpse at the planet’s rocky surface.
Then on July 20, 1976, NASA made history again when its spacecraft called Viking 1 touched down on Mars’ surface, making it the first space agency to complete a successful Mars landing. Viking 1 captured panoramic images of the planet’s terrain, and also enabled scientists to monitor the planet’s weather.
Vacation to Mars, Anyone?
To date, all Mars landings have been done without crews, but NASA is planning to send humans to Mars by the late 2030s.
And it’s not just government agencies that are planning missions to Mars—a number of private companies are getting involved, too. Elon Musk’s aerospace company SpaceX has a long-term plan to build an entire city on Mars.
Two other aerospace startups, Impulse and Relativity, also announced an unmanned joint mission to Mars in July 2022, with hopes it could be ready as soon as 2024.
As more players are added to the mix, the pressure is on to be the first company or agency to truly make it to Mars. If (or when) we reach that point, what’s next is anyone’s guess.
-
Misc2 weeks ago
Visualizing Which Countries Drink the Most Beer
-
Demographics4 weeks ago
Ranked: The 20 Countries With the Fastest Declining Populations
-
Personal Finance2 weeks ago
Mapped: The Salary You Need to Buy a Home in 50 U.S. Cities
-
Energy3 weeks ago
Visualizing the World’s Largest Oil Producers
-
Energy2 weeks ago
Which Countries Produce the Most Natural Gas?
-
Agriculture4 weeks ago
Timeline: The Domestication of Animals
-
Business3 weeks ago
Ranked: The World’s Largest Container Shipping Companies
-
Misc7 days ago
Brand Loyalty is Declining for Most Luxury Automakers