Forty years ago a US medical journal published the first sketchy details of a disease which came to be known as Aids.
Since then, 33 million people have died as a result of Aids-related illnesses.
On today's In The News podcast, London Editor Denis Staunton describes the fear and uncertainty of the early days of the Aids crisis and draws parallels with the coronavirus pandemic today.
And Dr Kim Roberts, a virologist at Trinity College Dublin, explains the origins of HIV, the virus that causes Aids, the scientific advancements that mean Aids is no longer a death sentence for those who can access the right drugs, and why there is still much work to be done to end the epidemic.
In The News is hosted by reporters Conor Pope and Sorcha Pollak.
You can listen to the podcast here:
