Mysteries of the Microscopic World

Course Overview

Embark on a 24-lecture journey through the invisible universe of microbes, from Black Death bacteria to modern pandemics, with an award-winning professor.

Video Lessons

Historical Pandemics

3. Black Death (28 min)
   Yersinia pestis and flea vectors
   11-13. 1918 Flu Trilogy (85 min)

• Virus origins
• Philadelphia outbreak
• Modern virus hunting

Immune System Battles

14-15. Immunity Fundamentals (59 min)
Self vs non-self recognition
16-17. AIDS Crisis (62 min)
HIV’s immune system evasion
18-19. Autoimmune Disorders (60 min)
Allergies to lupus mechanisms

Microbial Warfare

20-21. Biological Weapons (59 min)
From medieval sieges to Cold War

22. Colonial Epidemics (29 min)
    How Old World microbes reshaped continents

Beneficial Microbes

10. Hookworm Impact (29 min)
    Parasites that shaped history
11. Microbial Allies (31 min)
    Oxygen production to medicine