Questions like these crop up in a whole range of fields. When we think of contagion, we tend to think about things like infectious diseases or viral online content. But outbreaks can come in many forms. They might involve things that bring harm – like malware, violence or financial crises – or benefits, like innovations and culture. Some will start with tangible infections such as biological pathogens and computer viruses, others with abstract ideas and beliefs. Outbreaks will sometimes rise quickly; on other occasions they will take a while to grow. Some will create unexpected patterns and,
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