Stephen Dubner

The standard epidemiological model of the Black Death is that humans were exposed to the plague by rats who had been bitten by diseased fleas. But in 2018, Stenseth and his colleagues published a paper in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences where they presented a different model.

The standard epidemiological model of the Black Death is that humans were exposed to the plague by rats who had been bitten by diseased fleas. But in 2018, Stenseth and his colleagues published a paper in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences where they presented a different model.

The standard epidemiological model of the Black Death is that humans were exposed to the plague by rats who had been bitten by diseased fleas. But in 2018, Stenseth and his colleagues published a paper in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences where they presented a different model.

Despite the historical significance of the disease, they wrote, the mechanisms underlying the spread of plague in Europe are poorly understood. While it is commonly assumed that rats and their fleas spread plague, there is little historical and archaeological support for such a claim.

Despite the historical significance of the disease, they wrote, the mechanisms underlying the spread of plague in Europe are poorly understood. While it is commonly assumed that rats and their fleas spread plague, there is little historical and archaeological support for such a claim.

Despite the historical significance of the disease, they wrote, the mechanisms underlying the spread of plague in Europe are poorly understood. While it is commonly assumed that rats and their fleas spread plague, there is little historical and archaeological support for such a claim.

we show that human ectoparasites like body lice and human fleas might be more likely than rats to have caused the rapidly developing epidemics. And what is Stenseth's evidence that rats were not responsible for the Black Death?

we show that human ectoparasites like body lice and human fleas might be more likely than rats to have caused the rapidly developing epidemics. And what is Stenseth's evidence that rats were not responsible for the Black Death?

we show that human ectoparasites like body lice and human fleas might be more likely than rats to have caused the rapidly developing epidemics. And what is Stenseth's evidence that rats were not responsible for the Black Death?

He and his co-authors looked at plague death rates from the 1300s to the 1700s, drawn from census records and historical accounts from cities including London, Barcelona, Florence. Based on the velocity at which the plague spread in these places, Stenseth concluded, the human parasite model was much more likely than the rat parasite model.

He and his co-authors looked at plague death rates from the 1300s to the 1700s, drawn from census records and historical accounts from cities including London, Barcelona, Florence. Based on the velocity at which the plague spread in these places, Stenseth concluded, the human parasite model was much more likely than the rat parasite model.

He and his co-authors looked at plague death rates from the 1300s to the 1700s, drawn from census records and historical accounts from cities including London, Barcelona, Florence. Based on the velocity at which the plague spread in these places, Stenseth concluded, the human parasite model was much more likely than the rat parasite model.

That's right. Glazer is an economist, not an epidemiologist or a biologist or even a rat expert. But Glazer is an expert in cities, which is where rats thrive and where disease spreads. And when we told him we were working on this rat series, he did some extra credit reading.

That's right. Glazer is an economist, not an epidemiologist or a biologist or even a rat expert. But Glazer is an expert in cities, which is where rats thrive and where disease spreads. And when we told him we were working on this rat series, he did some extra credit reading.

That's right. Glazer is an economist, not an epidemiologist or a biologist or even a rat expert. But Glazer is an expert in cities, which is where rats thrive and where disease spreads. And when we told him we were working on this rat series, he did some extra credit reading.

So having determined that, that there is at least some guilt of the rat in at least the third pandemic, but perhaps not the most famous, the Black Death – How would you say that the modern day reputation of the rat has been affected by or informed by its implication in past disease carrying?

So having determined that, that there is at least some guilt of the rat in at least the third pandemic, but perhaps not the most famous, the Black Death – How would you say that the modern day reputation of the rat has been affected by or informed by its implication in past disease carrying?

So having determined that, that there is at least some guilt of the rat in at least the third pandemic, but perhaps not the most famous, the Black Death – How would you say that the modern day reputation of the rat has been affected by or informed by its implication in past disease carrying?

Glazer is the author of a book called Triumph of the City, how our greatest invention makes us richer, smarter, greener, healthier, and happier. And the fact is that cities and rats seem to be an inevitable pairing. In the ruins of Pompeii, there were rats. To estimate the size of human populations in ancient cities, modern scientists use archaeological evidence of rat populations.

Glazer is the author of a book called Triumph of the City, how our greatest invention makes us richer, smarter, greener, healthier, and happier. And the fact is that cities and rats seem to be an inevitable pairing. In the ruins of Pompeii, there were rats. To estimate the size of human populations in ancient cities, modern scientists use archaeological evidence of rat populations.