Global leaders gathered in Switzerland for the annual Davos summit to discuss pressing topics such as climate change, the Israel-Hamas conflict, and Disease X, a hypothetical virus 20 times deadlier than COVID-19. Researchers and experts are preparing a plan to combat such a threat and prepare the global health system for the hypothetical pandemic. In 2022, 300 scientists compiled a list of pathogens they believe can trigger global chaos and should be studied more. The World Health Organisation’s Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus , said the COVID-19 pandemic may have been the first “Disease X” and that scientists and experts are actively learning from that experience. A dangerous pathogen like Disease X could already be circulating among animals and not be transmitted to humans. Global organizations have already put initiatives in place in preparation for the next major pandemic, such as the pandemic fund, the mRNA vaccine technology transfer hub, and steps to im...