The wisdom of pandemics

Viruses are not just threats — they are also actors in evolution's long story. If we can survive the coming waves of disease, can we also learn to host pathogens in a more balanced and less toxic world? David Waltner-Toews, a veterinary epidemiologist and author, contemplates in Aeon magazine why a safe future for humanity could come from understanding the active agency of viruses and their rich lifeworlds.