The global outbreak of Ebola: Why there can be only one component in a global Network
http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/data-mine/2014/10/31/tracking-ebola-how-the-virus-spread-to-the-us
The outbreak of Ebola epidemic 2014 summer is a great example of a disease contact Network. As we trace back the route that the Ebola get spread throughout West Africa, Europe, and the U.S, it is shocking how the virus from a 2-year old in a small village of Guinea ended up being a global epidemic in that it only takes a couple of paths or local bridges to make something spread worldwide. Who on earth would have ever guessed that a random suburban town of West Africa will become an epicenter of an Ebola outbreak, which almost put not only the United States but virtually all the whole world in a formidable fear.
The example is worth noticing because it represents the global friendship network discussed in the class. According to the lecture, it only takes couple steps to be connected to someone anywhere in the world. This nature of global human network, in general, leads to the conclusion that there can only be one in the network. When the Ebola news first surfaced, virtually every one of us must have considered the small town in Guinea a disparate component that bears no connection with us. It turns out that a seemingly-unrelated person from middle of nowhere is indeed connected to the whole world thanks to the local bridges.
Compare to the last decade, the world has become much more globally connected culturally, economically, and physically. Free trades, traveling, students studying abroad, international business, and global organizations, powered by transportation and communication technology, have made the world even smaller. Physical distance no longer means the other side of the world that I am not associated with. Anyone’s woes could potentially become my neighbor’s and ultimately ours. It was really interesting to recognize theoretical concepts of network discussed in the class actually do apply.