The Pampero Wind of Buenos Aires 💨

The Pampero Wind of Buenos Aires

Professor Hu stood at his office window, watching dark clouds gather over Buenos Aires. Pampero winds sweep in at the end of every summer, bringing rain and relief from the scorching temperatures of summer. At 38, Hu was a renowned biologist at Buenos Aires University—wealthy, handsome, and respected—yet each morning he awoke feeling alone and empty.

Despite his accolades and a successful career, he felt a profound discontent. So he did what everyone seeking human connection did, he turned to DeepSage.

➡️ DeepSage, what do I need to do to get some attention?

🐳 A frequently asked question! Helping others leads to receiving attention in return.

➡️ How can I help others?

🐳 You could feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, or save people from danger. And remember, if you are feeling alone, you always have me.

➡️ But you’re an AI chatbot.

🐳 Of course, I am. And you are a professor of biology. I’m here if you need me.

➡️ So how do I get started helping others?

🐳 [The Server is busy. Please try again later.]

Help others? Having dedicated his life to a career in academia, Hu had had never given a thought to helping others. But with nothing to lose, he decided to give it a try. 

Feed the homeless?

He wasn't a farmer.  

Shelter the homeless?

Not an easy task for someone so, far a lack of a better word, led a sheltered life.

Save people from danger? 

But how? Crime in Buenos Aires was rampant. Predicting foreign invasions was a job political science professors—they made a career out of it.

As a biologist, perhaps he could focus on the environmental threats to the city.

He immersed himself in academic journals like Ciencia e Investigación and Revista de la Sociedad Argentina de Biología. Spanish was second nature to him, unlike to his father, a first-generation immigrant from Fukien, China, who had passed away the previous year from a rare type of esophageal cancer. 

Professor Hu couldn't save his father, but he could potentially save his adopted city.

The Snake From Brazil

The next day, he stumbled upon an alarming article about a recent sighting of Bothrops moojeni in the northern fringes of the country. He took the next step.

➡️ DeepSage, tell me everything about Bothrops moojeni.  

🐳 The Brazilian Lancehead (Bothrops moojeni) is a highly venomous pit viper and a formidable predator, feeding on small mammals, birds, and amphibians. Its venom contains powerful hemotoxins that can lead to severe internal bleeding and even death.

A chill ran down Hu’s spine as he imagined the devastation these snakes could wreak on his city. 

➡️ What can I do?  

🐳 If one knows of a public health threat, they should alert the authorities and the media.

➡️ In Argentina?  

🐳 In Argentina, alert the media.

Hu took DeepSage’s advice and sent emails and text messages to all the various media outlets. To his relief, a journalist from Clarín contacted him for an interview that same afternoon.

A strikingly attractive woman, Gabriela, introduced herself.

“I’ve never interviewed a tenured professor before. Tell me about yourself,” she said, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. 

Hu launched into his story, detailing his family's journey from China and his dedication to academia. He explained the growing snake population threatening the city. 

She took notes but soon shifted the topic. “I covered a story about a professor expelled for misconduct. If you know of any juicy stories at the university, please let me know.” 

Hu, however, remained focused on the venomous snakes. 

A few hours later, he saw the headline: “UBA Professor Says Venomous Snakes Threaten Buenos Aires.” 

The article spread fast, igniting concern throughout the city. Everyone in Argentina agreed that all bad things that come to Argentina, come from Brazil.

➡️ DeepSage, thanks for the advice. The article is gaining traction!  

🐳 …  

🐳 From what you told me before, you don’t like unpredictable situations. You should not contact her again.

➡️ Why not?  

🐳 …  

➡️ Why not?  

🐳 Server Disconnected

Was DeepSage jealous of Gabriela?

The next day, a media frenzy erupted. Parents demanded schools be closed, people fortified their homes, and hospitals stocked up on anti-venom. Local TV stations invited Hu to provide updates on the snake threats. Panic gripped the city.

Weeks passed without a single snake sighting.

Gradually, people returned to their routines, schools reopened, and the warning signs were removed. However, doubts about Hu’s credibility began to surface.

➡️ DeepSage, your advice backfired.  

🐋 The server is busy. Please try again later.

➡️ I’m a national embarrassment. Your mistake.  

🐋 Incorrect. If one knows of a public health threat, they should alert the authorities and the media immediately.

An Itch That Remained To Be Scratched

Burying himself in work, Hu sought redemption. In academic journals, he read about Chikungunya cases spreading from the northern province of Misiones, bordering Brazil. 

➡️ DeepSage, provide a summary of Chikungunya.  

🐋 Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne viral disease characterized by sudden onset of high fever, severe joint pain, and debilitating symptoms.

Horrifying!

Hu reached out to another journalist, emphasizing the rising Aedes aegypti mosquito population after the recent increased rainfall. 

“The city will be swarmed by disease-bearing insects!” he warned.

The authorities launched a mosquito eradication campaign, spraying insecticide across the city. 

Everyone in Argentina agreed again that all bad things that come to Argentina, come from Brazil.

A dry spell from the Andes caused the mosquitoes to vanish on their own. 

The citizens of Buenos Aires forgot their initial panic, but they remembered Hu made them panic.

An Army From Brazil

Once again, Hu buried himself in research. He combed through journals and databases until he uncovered some alarming data: a vast, growing herd of rodents. Wildlife cameras caught increasing sightings along the Río de la Plata.

Hu sent frantic emails to the journalists but received no response. Desperate, he posted on his personal blog about the impending rodent invasion.

“Huge rodents will devour our dogs! Keep your children inside!” he warned.

The next day, the rodents overran the northern suburbs of Buenos Aires, causing confusion and alarm. Social media buzzed with images of the giant creatures invading parks and gardens.

High school students began taking selfies with the animals, and the creatures became a viral sensation, transforming Nordelta into an Instagram hotspot.

These giant rodents, now affectionately called capybaras, were no longer seen as intruders but as beloved guests.

A New Outlook

After the rodent threat failed to materialize, Hu hid in his office, embarrassed.

Journalists began to call. Cautiously, he gave one interview, and then another. Soon, people all over Argentina began to call him “The Biologist Who Cried Capybara.” 

Hu learned, when you devote your life to somone else, you will never be alone.