# The Discovery of the Ebola Virus

An episode of [What It Was Like](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1614354774), 12 Jul 2026, 35 min.

Audio: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/6200ee776bcd50001215d4e7/e/6a533573c2f78bb6890040a5/media.mp3

In 1976, a mysterious illness started killing people in Central Africa. Virus expert Joseph McCormick was flown in to work out what it was and how it spread. This is how the world came to learn of a frightening new virus called Ebola. In this ep, Joe describes how he later discovered that HIV had emerged from the very same corner of Africa. It's a conversation about evolution and how humans and viruses are more connected than you'd expect. Check out Joe’s book, co-written with his wife: Level 4: Virus Hunters of the CDC. Find us on TikTok: @whatitwaslikepodcast Find us on Youtube: @whatitwaslikepodcast Follow us on Instagram: whatitwaslikepodcast This is a Superreal production Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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