A version of this story appears in the of National Geographic magazine.Philadelphia detected its first case of a deadly, fast-spreading strain of influenza on September 17, 1918. The next day, in an attempt to halt the virus’ spread, city officials launched a campaign against coughing, spitting, and sneezing in public. Yet 10 days later—despite the prospect of an epidemic at its doorstep—the city hosted a parade that 200,000 people attended.Flu cases continued to mount until finally, on October 3, schools, churches, theaters, and public gathering spaces . Just two weeks after the first...…A version of this story appears in the of National Geographic magazine.Philadelphia detected its first case of a deadly, fast-spreading strain of influenza on September 17, 1918. The next day, in an attempt to halt the virus’ spread, city officials launched a campaign against coughing, spitting, and sneezing in public. Yet 10 days later—despite the prospect of an epidemic at its doorstep—the city hosted a parade that 200,000 people attended.Flu cases continued to mount until finally, on October 3, schools, churches, theaters, and public gathering spaces . Just two weeks after the first...WW…

In Cuba, finding food has become a full-time job. Here’s how one family scraped together a party for their daughter’s big day.When Karla González Toro turned 15 on September 9, she knew the day would not be marked with a party. Havana, where she lives, was under lockdown after a spike in COVID cases, and Cuba’s food shortages were the worst in recent memory. The González family had meat to eat only because Karla’s parents had begun keeping pigs three years earlier to raise money for a special event: their only daughter’s quinceañera.In Cuba and across Latin America, the quinceañera—a...…In Cuba, finding food has become a full-time job. Here’s how one family scraped together a party for their daughter’s big day.When Karla González Toro turned 15 on September 9, she knew the day would not be marked with a party. Havana, where she lives, was under lockdown after a spike in COVID cases, and Cuba’s food shortages were the worst in recent memory. The González family had meat to eat only because Karla’s parents had begun keeping pigs three years earlier to raise money for a special event: their only daughter’s quinceañera.In Cuba and across Latin America, the quinceañera—a...WW…

Prepping was seen as a fringe hobby for survivalists and reality TV. Then came the pandemic.There’s a reason “preppers,” people who plan for the worst-case scenario, like to talk about the zombie apocalypse. The idea of an army of walking dead swarming the country pervades their thoughts because, says Roman Zrazhevskiy, “If you prepare as if a zombie apocalypse is going to happen, you have all the bases covered.” That means: an escape route, medical supplies, a few weeks’ worth of food.Zrazhevskiy has been thinking about this for decades. He was born in Russia a few months after the nuclear...…Prepping was seen as a fringe hobby for survivalists and reality TV. Then came the pandemic.There’s a reason “preppers,” people who plan for the worst-case scenario, like to talk about the zombie apocalypse. The idea of an army of walking dead swarming the country pervades their thoughts because, says Roman Zrazhevskiy, “If you prepare as if a zombie apocalypse is going to happen, you have all the bases covered.” That means: an escape route, medical supplies, a few weeks’ worth of food.Zrazhevskiy has been thinking about this for decades. He was born in Russia a few months after the nuclear...WW…

For centuries, devotees have trekked to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe to ask the champion of the disenfranchised for protection.Andrea Flores Nuñez began to pray in her hospital bed after the birth of her son three years ago. The newborn wasn’t getting enough oxygen, the doctor said, and his lungs were shrinking. They rushed him away to an incubator. In her mind she repeated a promise to the Virgin of Guadalupe, Mexico’s beloved patron saint, that she later recalled for her mother: “Mama, I told the virgin that if my son comes out OK I’ll go to the basilica on my knees.”Every year...…For centuries, devotees have trekked to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe to ask the champion of the disenfranchised for protection.Andrea Flores Nuñez began to pray in her hospital bed after the birth of her son three years ago. The newborn wasn’t getting enough oxygen, the doctor said, and his lungs were shrinking. They rushed him away to an incubator. In her mind she repeated a promise to the Virgin of Guadalupe, Mexico’s beloved patron saint, that she later recalled for her mother: “Mama, I told the virgin that if my son comes out OK I’ll go to the basilica on my knees.”Every year...WW…