--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We were seated in a sparkling new…" description: "\"“We were seated in a sparkling new building on the UBC campus with austere modern lines and sleek, minimalist décor—about as sterile a setting as one c..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbc/kathleen-mcauliffe-29763_biology_we-were-seated-in-a-sparkling-new-buildi_569081.jpg" --- # We were seated in a sparkling new building on the UBC… ![“We were seated in a sparkling new building on the UBC campus with austere modern lines and sleek, minimalist décor—about as sterile a setting as one could imagine. “We don’t really worry much about infectious disease. We forget that in most of the world and throughout most of our history…” quote by Kathleen McAuliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbc/kathleen-mcauliffe-29763_biology_we-were-seated-in-a-sparkling-new-buildi_569081.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbc/kathleen-mcauliffe-29763_biology_we-were-seated-in-a-sparkling-new-buildi_569081.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbc/kathleen-mcauliffe-29763_biology_we-were-seated-in-a-sparkling-new-buildi_569081.jpg) > ““We were seated in a sparkling new building on the UBC campus with austere modern lines and sleek, minimalist décor—about as sterile a setting as one could imagine. “We don’t really worry much about infectious disease. We forget that in most of the world and throughout most of our history, infectious organisms have posed this extraordinary health threat and have almost certainly played a huge role in human evolution, including the evolution of our brain and nervous system.”” [Kathleen McAuliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-mcauliffe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Infectious disease has shaped human evolution, influencing brain and nervous system development, yet modern environments often ignore this threat. **In simple terms:** Disease history impacts our biology. Key Takeaway Consider health risks in design and policy. Themes evolution health environment Mood analytical cautious Type scientific educational When to use this quote - urban planning - hospital design - education curricula Key Concepts pathogen pressure neurodevelopment public health policy Questions to Reflect On - How does awareness of disease history affect your choices? - What measures can mitigate hidden health risks? A Different Perspective Modern sanitation can create complacency, reducing vigilance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Biology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biology/) [Human evolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-evolution/) [Nervous system](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nervous-system/) ## Related quotes > [Infectious disease exists at this intersection between real science, medicine, public health, social policy, and human conflict. There's a tendency of people to try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-barrett/infectious-disease-exists-at-this-intersection-between-real-science/) [Andrea Barrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-barrett/) > [The pure culture is the foundation for all research on infectious disease.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-koch/the-pure-culture-is-the-foundation-for-all-research-on-infectious/) [Robert Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-koch/) > [We have grown accustomed to the wonders of clean water, indoor plumbing, laser surgery, genetic engineering, artificial joints, replacement body parts, and the much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-jay-olshansky/we-have-grown-accustomed-to-the-wonders-of-clean-water-indoor/) [S. Jay Olshansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-jay-olshansky/) > [Infectious disease is one of the few genuine adventures left in the world. The dragons are all dead and the lance grows rusty in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-zinsser/infectious-disease-is-one-of-the-few-genuine-adventures-left-in-the-2/) [Hans Zinsser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-zinsser/) > [Infectious Disease is one of the few genuine adventures left in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-zinsser/infectious-disease-is-one-of-the-few-genuine-adventures-left-in-the/) [Hans Zinsser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-zinsser/) > [“Infectious disease is one of the great tragedies of living things - the struggle for existence between two different forms of life... Incessantly, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-zinsser/infectious-disease-is-one-of-the-great-tragedies-of-living-things-the/) [Hans Zinsser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-zinsser/) > [By recognizing that infectious disease is not some faraway exotic issue but a global problem, and by sharing the responsibility for its prevention, diagnosis,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-berkley/by-recognizing-that-infectious-disease-is-not-some-faraway-exotic/) [Seth Berkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-berkley/) > [With infectious disease, without vaccines, there's no safety in numbers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-berkley/with-infectious-disease-without-vaccines-there-s-no-safety-in-numbers/) [Seth Berkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-berkley/) > [“I beg you to see this in the right light, and to combine it with the feeling about what happened through the Mystery of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-steiner/i-beg-you-to-see-this-in-the-right-light-and-to-combine-it-with-the/) [Rudolf Steiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-steiner/) > [The greatest step forward in human evolution was made when society began to help the weak and the poor, instead of oppressing and despising…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/the-greatest-step-forward-in-human-evolution-was-made-when-society/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [“The envisaged self is the next stage in human evolution, and it will be born explicitly from the refusion of experienced spirit and experienced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-sj/the-envisaged-self-is-the-next-stage-in-human-evolution-and-it-will/) [Monica Sjöö](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-sj/) > [It is fashionable to wax apocalyptic about the threat to humanity posed by the AIDS virus, "mad cow" disease, and many others, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/it-is-fashionable-to-wax-apocalyptic-about-the-threat-to-humanity/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“Pleasure is a reward, given to the human system by evolution in return for services rendered to the preservation and increase of the species.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/pleasure-is-a-reward-given-to-the-human-system-by-evolution-in-return/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [I sometimes try to imagine what would have happened if we’d known the bonobo first and the chimpanzee only later—or not at all. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-de-waal/i-sometimes-try-to-imagine-what-would-have-happened-if-we-d-known-the/) [Frans de Waal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-de-waal/) > [“As a special branch of general philosophy, pathogenesis had never been explored. In my opinion it had never been approached in a strictly scientific…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-cendrars/as-a-special-branch-of-general-philosophy-pathogenesis-had-never-been/) [Blaise Cendrars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-cendrars/) ## More by Kathleen McAuliffe > [“Save for the ancient Egyptians, he found, virtually no one kept cats as pets until the latter part of the 1700s. The first people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-mcauliffe/save-for-the-ancient-egyptians-he-found-virtually-no-one-kept-cats-as/) [Kathleen McAuliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-mcauliffe/) > [“Vast populations in parasitic hot zones are without hospitals, doctors, drugs, or surgical equipment. Meanwhile, often directed at the very same underserved regions, wealthy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-mcauliffe/vast-populations-in-parasitic-hot-zones-are-without-hospitals-doctors/) [Kathleen McAuliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-mcauliffe/) > [“Putting this all together, Moore and Reiber predicted that the germ would prod people to seek out the company of others early in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-mcauliffe/putting-this-all-together-moore-and-reiber-predicted-that-the-germ/) [Kathleen McAuliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-mcauliffe/) > [“By enlisting the assistance of a team of neuroimmunologists, however, Schaller succeeded in conducting one of the few studies to address the question. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-mcauliffe/by-enlisting-the-assistance-of-a-team-of-neuroimmunologists-however/) [Kathleen McAuliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-mcauliffe/) > [“After being shown pictures of people coughing, cartoonish germs sprouting from a sponge, and similar infection-evoking images, women—the sex most vulnerable to STDs—endorsed more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-mcauliffe/after-being-shown-pictures-of-people-coughing-cartoonish-germs/) [Kathleen McAuliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-mcauliffe/) > [“What would happen if the parasites were removed from this picture? Would there be fewer birds in the sky, more fish in the sea?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-mcauliffe/what-would-happen-if-the-parasites-were-removed-from-this-picture/) [Kathleen McAuliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-mcauliffe/) > [“Xenophobic propaganda can take another sinister form. Its progenitor is that favorite taunt of the playground bully: “You’ve got cooties.” Grown-up bullies are notorious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-mcauliffe/xenophobic-propaganda-can-take-another-sinister-form-its-progenitor/) [Kathleen McAuliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-mcauliffe/) > [“Good looks, for example, are denoted by symmetrical features—a sign that early life development was not disrupted by infection—and skin that shows no trace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-mcauliffe/good-looks-for-example-are-denoted-by-symmetrical-features-a-sign/) [Kathleen McAuliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-mcauliffe/) > [“When subjects in one of Pizarro’s studies were shown a sign recommending the use of hand wipes, he reported, they were harsher in their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-mcauliffe/when-subjects-in-one-of-pizarro-s-studies-were-shown-a-sign/) [Kathleen McAuliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-mcauliffe/) > [“Consumers even avoid buying items placed near a product with icky connotations. Grocery shoppers, for instance, have been shown to be repelled by foods—including…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-mcauliffe/consumers-even-avoid-buying-items-placed-near-a-product-with-icky/) [Kathleen McAuliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-mcauliffe/) > [“Nonetheless, studies by Schaller and other researchers indicate that people who chronically worry about disease are especially prone to antipathy toward those whose appearances…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-mcauliffe/nonetheless-studies-by-schaller-and-other-researchers-indicate-that/) [Kathleen McAuliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-mcauliffe/) > [“A phenomenon known as sympathetic vomiting occurs when the sight of someone throwing up causes others to do so too. Such copycat behavior probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-mcauliffe/a-phenomenon-known-as-sympathetic-vomiting-occurs-when-the-sight-of/) [Kathleen McAuliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-mcauliffe/) > [“The recently ill display similar biases, possibly, Schaller theorizes, because their immune systems may still be run-down, so their minds compensate by ratcheting up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-mcauliffe/the-recently-ill-display-similar-biases-possibly-schaller-theorizes/) [Kathleen McAuliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-mcauliffe/) > [“In the first three days after vaccination, coinciding with the time when the virus was most contagious, subjects interacted with twice as many people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-mcauliffe/in-the-first-three-days-after-vaccination-coinciding-with-the-time/) [Kathleen McAuliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-mcauliffe/) > [“Malaria, presently among the most deadly infectious agents on the planet, is arguably the greatest mass murderer of all time. Experts estimate the disease…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-mcauliffe/malaria-presently-among-the-most-deadly-infectious-agents-on-the/) [Kathleen McAuliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-mcauliffe/) [Explore all 18 Kathleen McAuliffe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-mcauliffe/) ## More Biology quotes > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [“Genetics is a science full of gods, Mr. Sanchez.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valeria-luiselli/genetics-is-a-science-full-of-gods-mr-sanchez/) [Valeria Luiselli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valeria-luiselli/) > [We became Homo sapiens not that long ago, from the scientific perspective, and we've retained a lot of our beast nature. We've done all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangechi-mutu/we-became-homo-sapiens-not-that-long-ago-from-the-scientific/) [Wangechi Mutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangechi-mutu/) > [Evolution happens in jumps, very rapidly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-ferguson/evolution-happens-in-jumps-very-rapidly/) [Marilyn Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-ferguson/) > [“Toshiaki learned that all living organisms were governed by their DNA. He was impressed by perfection of this system.Why did existence have the ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hideaki-sena/toshiaki-learned-that-all-living-organisms-were-governed-by-their-dna/) Hideaki Sena > [I'm all about evolution. I'm the first person to judge myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-weeknd/i-m-all-about-evolution-i-m-the-first-person-to-judge-myself/) [The Weeknd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-weeknd/) > [We are somehow the children of the planet, we are somehow its finest hour; we bind time, we bind the past, we anticipate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/we-are-somehow-the-children-of-the-planet-we-are-somehow-its-finest/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [I think the ethics and morals of genetic engineering are very complicated. It intrigues me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-spottiswoode/i-think-the-ethics-and-morals-of-genetic-engineering-are-very/) [Roger Spottiswoode](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-spottiswoode/) > [Biochemists and biologists who adhere blindly to the Darwinism theory search for results that will be in agreement with their theories and consequently orient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-paul-grasse/biochemists-and-biologists-who-adhere-blindly-to-the-darwinism-theory/) [Pierre-Paul Grasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-paul-grasse/) > [“A note of caution: epigenetics is also on the verge of transforming into a dangerous idea. Epigenetic modifications of genes can potentially superpose historical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddhartha-mukherjee/a-note-of-caution-epigenetics-is-also-on-the-verge-of-transforming/) [Siddhartha Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhartha-mukherjee/) > [Natural history is not taught in seminary. This is curious, as most people in pastoral ministry are about 567 times more likely to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-maitland/natural-history-is-not-taught-in-seminary-this-is-curious-as-most/) [Sara Maitland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-maitland/) > [We are coming to a place where the road ends. From here on out, we will be making the road as we walk it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-atlee/we-are-coming-to-a-place-where-the-road-ends-from-here-on-out-we-will/) Tom Atlee > [I've always been interested in medicine and was pleased when my brother became a doctor. But after thinking seriously about that field, I realized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-lowry/i-ve-always-been-interested-in-medicine-and-was-pleased-when-my/) [Lois Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-lowry/) > [Evolution... is the most powerful and the most comprehensive idea that has ever arisen on Earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-huxley/evolution-is-the-most-powerful-and-the-most-comprehensive-idea-that/) [Julian Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-huxley/) > [History employs evolution to structure biological events in time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/history-employs-evolution-to-structure-biological-events-in-time/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) [Browse all 3,034 Biology quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biology/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We were seated in a sparkling new building on the UBC campus with austere modern lines and sleek, minimalist décor—about as sterile a setting as one could imagine. “We don’t really worry much about infectious disease. We forget that in most of the world and throughout most of our history, infectious organisms have posed this extraordinary health threat and have almost certainly played a huge role in human evolution, including the evolution of our brain and nervous system.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kathleen McAuliffe" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-mcauliffe/we-were-seated-in-a-sparkling-new-building-on-the-ubc-campus-with/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Biology" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-mcauliffe/we-were-seated-in-a-sparkling-new-building-on-the-ubc-campus-with/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbc/kathleen-mcauliffe-29763_biology_we-were-seated-in-a-sparkling-new-buildi_569081.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbc/kathleen-mcauliffe-29763_biology_we-were-seated-in-a-sparkling-new-buildi_569081.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbc/kathleen-mcauliffe-29763_biology_we-were-seated-in-a-sparkling-new-buildi_569081.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We were seated in a sparkling new building on the UBC campus with austere modern lines and sleek, minimalist…” — Kathleen McAuliffe", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Kathleen McAuliffe", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-mcauliffe/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“We were seated in a sparkling...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-mcauliffe/we-were-seated-in-a-sparkling-new-building-on-the-ubc-campus-with/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-mcauliffe/we-were-seated-in-a-sparkling-new-building-on-the-ubc-campus-with/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```