Food-Chain Reaction

Slums are larger and more dense than two centuries ago — and they’re creating “causal chains that weren’t there before,” says urban historian Mike Davis. One such chain: West African urbanization raised demand for protein while European companies forced West African fishermen out of their fishing zones — their main source of protein. People in slums have begun eating bush meat instead — including HIV- and Ebola-infected monkeys — which, according to Davis, has “broken down all the biological species barriers for disease.” (HT: The Daily Dish) [%comments]