Summary:
- Farming has led to the emergence and spread of many new diseases, as it brings humans into closer contact with animals and disrupts natural ecosystems.
- The rise of agriculture and domestication of animals allowed pathogens to jump from animals to humans, causing diseases like smallpox, measles, and influenza.
- Intensive farming practices, such as overcrowding of livestock, use of antibiotics, and deforestation, have further contributed to the emergence and spread of zoonotic diseases, which can be transmitted from animals to humans.