Scientists in Germany have put together a video that shows how a disease outbreak could spread across the world in a matter of weeks.
The findings, featured in the Daily Mail, point to air travel as the main culprit for effectively and efficiently spreading infectious illnesses.
Busy airports are obvious disease hubs, as people from all over the world are cooped up inside together often for hours at a time – and this continues into the flight, where passengers sit so close viruses can be easily spread.
Using airline data and analysing travel networks, the scientists have determined that people travel more between countries than within cities, resulting in a slower spread of disease on the ground.
Although the findings may seem alarming, they may actually help scientists trace and isolate diseases, making preventative programmes in the future all the more effective.
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