The Plague: Yersinia pestis

The Plague! The Black Death! You've heard of some version of this disease, which wiped out massive percentages of the global population several times in recent millenia. Terrifying, no? So what causes it? Well now we know! It's a little jerk named Yersinia pestis. So how does this thing wreak so much havoc? Let's find out!

Script by Kellie Vinal

Check out "Is This Wi-Fi Organic?", my book on disarming pseudoscience!

[artenroyal]

PDE: Let's get into some Plague-
WHO: Wait, that's illegal.

[raaspider]

cruise ships are our modern version of those wooden boats that reached shore in 1347

[ridespirals]

i just started reading a book called Between Two Fires set during the black death (1348). it's fiction, "medieval horror, " it's awesome so far highly recommend. But that's how I ended up here. I already love prof. dave and I was on the wikipedia page for the black plague, and i ran across Yersinia Pestis and wondered what youtube results there'd be for specifically "yersinia pestis." was quite happy that professor dave was the first result, awesome video. I like that it is both casual but also informative like a lecture. great combo.

[dinofirechief]

Talking about plague when subscribers hits 666K?

Priceless...

[Golem.]

Untreated pneumonic plague is not 90% but almost 100%. In the Manchurian outbreak (1911) out of 60 000 patients that were infected, it is said only 2 survived the disease.

[acohen]

Great info, Professor.  Thank you for uploading for the rest of us to learn from.

[jeffersonwright]

not necessarily just 3 outbreaks. It is very possible that there was a similar plague that hit the Bronze Age at the beginning of the13th Centure BC ie 1300 to 1280, it devastated the Hittite Empire and perhaps set the stage for the downfall of all Eastern Mediterranean Bronze Age empires over the next 100 years

[khanrealonly]

Great Sir your videos help us in every step of microbiology

[Timbo]

Interesting...Although i have to mention that in the distant past [before 1850] tuberculosis and the pnumeric were basically indistinguishable..They didn't know much back then.

[thewwefan]

Decimating comes from the latin word for 10th and it means to destroy or kill one tenth of something, so the plague actually did technically decimate us

[gearhead]

The new antibiotic resistant yersinia pestis in Madagascar enters the chat..

[arnapalsdottir]

This video was great!! With diagnosis and treatment it could have been perfect!!!

[MisterItchy]

This should be required viewing for all science-denying types. Great video!

[abdullahinuhuyau]

Thanks prof. I wish you all the lucks.

[coppersulfate]

Using this for my environmental hazards studying. Thank you.

[achyuthankarthikeyan]

Hey professor Dave, can you make videos about the s block, p block, d block and f block elements, like their general properties and the important compounds?

[alexanderledvina]

This sounds like the worst disease you could possibly get without immediate access to modern medical facilities

[unitedfools]

"Almost one quarter of all people alive". Well that puts it into perspective. I've never heard of plague in Australia.

[kevinstewart]

Nerd pet peeve. The improper use of the word decimation. The word originally referenced the Roman legions form of punishment of killing every tenth man. So in actual terms the plague didn't "almost" decimate humanity. At least a couple of times it more than decimated humanity.
Beyond that, really enjoyed your show.

[nomeyodomar]

you missed the 17th century London plague