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God of War: The Journey - The Journey Home

Kratos and Atreus make the journey back home in the final God of War mission.

The final quest in the  God of War main campaign is The Journey Home. Following the events of the previous two missions, a weary Kratos and Atreus make their way back to the cabin.

Return to Tyr's Temple

With their promise fulfilled, Kratos and Atreus will be ready to make their way home. Continue back down the mountain path and listen to the conversation between Kratos and Atreus unfold. Given the nature of the reveals from the previous mission, Kratos will answer some of Atreus' bigger questions. Approach the illuminated archway and walk through.

Make way back down the massive staircase, continuing the conversation, until reaching the double doors heading back into the Realm Travel Room.

Reunite with Mimir, who looks to have been simply abandoned on the floor and is not too thrilled about it. At this point, the game will pop open a new prompt offering players the opportunity to continue exploring the game's world with Atreus.

This is also when the game gives the player a nice gift — the location of each Corrupted Valkyrie can now be found via the in-game map.

If desired, poke around the map to see some of the revealed Valkyrie locations. After that, approach the travel gate and return to Midgard by pressing Triangle. Listen to Mimir speak, then approach the southeastern door and cross the light bridge into Brok and Sindri's shop. Listen to them, then turn and enter the mystic gateway.

Head back toward the cliff and listen to Atreus and Mimir speak. After that, enter the other gateway to arrive just outside of Kratos' cabin. Walk inside, then interact with the bed to initiate another cutscene. Watch the credits roll, and wait patiently for the post-credits scene.

From here on out, the rest of God of War will be open, and players can feel free to pursue any interests they choose. Tracking down all those elusive collectibles would be a good place to start, and we've got locations for all the biggest treasures and rarities outlined over on our God of War walkthrough and guide .

Kevin Tucker is a core component of Shacknews' powerful guide development team. For questions, concerns, tips, or to share constructive criticism, he can be reached on Twitter @dukeofgnar or through e-mail at [email protected] .

• PlayStation 4
• Sony Santa Monica
• God of War 2018

God of War PS4 (GoW 4) Walkthrough & Guides Wiki

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Quest Walkthrough

Main Quests

The Journey Home Quest Walkthrough

★ Game8's God of War Ragnarok wiki is now live!

This is a walkthrough for The Journey Home in God of War (2018) for the PS4. Learn more about the objectives of this quest, quest rewards, tips for completion, as well as boss fight strategies!

List of Contents

The Journey Home Basic Information

Tips and strategies, god of war related links, how to unlock the journey home.

After spreading the ashes of Atreu's mother, you now make the long journey to return to your home.

The Journey Home Quest Rewards

Return to the realm travel room.

Once you get back to Mimir at the Realm Travel Room , the whole world of God of War will open up to you like never before. The locations of all the Valkyries will be revealed, and you now have the opportunity to collect every collectible, finish Favors , and complete the challenges that the realms of Muspelheim and Niflheim present to you. You may also wish to do the journey all over again with New Game+ .

• All Quest Walkthroughs

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Walkthrough Menu

• God of War Wiki Top
• News and Game Info
• Cast and List of Voice Actors
• Play Time: How Long to Beat
• Is God of War Open World?
• PC Release Date and System Requirements
• Is There a PS5 Version Upgrade?
• Story Walkthroughs
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Story Walkthrough

• The Marked Trees
• Path to the Mountain
• A Realm Beyond
• The Light of Alfheim
• Inside the Mountain
• A New Destination
• The Magic Chisel
• Behind the Lock
• The Sickness
• The Black Rune
• Return to the Summit
• Escape from Helheim
• A Path to Jotunheim
• Between The Realms
• Jotunheim in Reach
• Mother's Ashes
• The Journey Home
• Unfinished Business
• Second Hand Soul
• Fafnir's Hoard
• Hammer Fall
• Otr's Imprisonment
• Family Business
• Time Heals All
• Deus Ex Malachite
• Dead Freight
• The Anatomy of Hope
• The Flight of Fafnir
• The Realm of Fire
• The Realm of Fog
• The Fire of Reginn
• Hail to the King
• Ivaldi's Workshop
• Ivaldi's Protection
• Ivaldi's Curse
• Prove Your Valor
• The High Council
• God vs. Queen

Boss Battles

• List of All Bosses and Boss Fight Guides

Story Bosses

• Daudi Kaupmandr
• The Stranger
• Brenna Daudi
• Stone Ancient
• Svartaljofurr
• Ice Ancient
• Stonebeard King
• Magni and Modi
• Mattugr Helson
• Grendel of the Ashes | Grendel of the Frost
• Frost Ancient

Optional Bosses

• Valkyrie Gunnr
• Valkyrie Kara
• Valkyrie Geirdriful
• Valkyrie Olrun
• Valkyrie Eir
• Valkyrie Gondul
• Valkyrie Rota
• Valkyrie Hildr
• Valkyrie Queen Sigrun
• Realm and Region Summaries
• The River Pass
• Shores of Nine
• Veithurgard
• The Mountain
• The Mason's Channel
• Thamur's Corpse
• Lookout Tower
• Landsuther Mines
• Cliffs of the Raven
• Volunder Mines
• Buri's Storeroom
• Stone Falls
• Light Elf Outpost
• Northri Stronghold
• Forgotten Caverns
• Fafnir's Storeroom
• Isle of Death
• Tyr's Temple
• Council of Valkyries
• Alfheim (Lake of Light)
• Beginner's Guide: Tips and Tricks
• Controls and Best Settings
• What is New Game+?
• Difference Between Difficulty Settings
• How to Farm Hacksilver | Hacksilver Farming Guide
• How to Farm XP | XP Farming Guide
• Stats Explanation
• Combat Tips and Techniques
• Odin's Ravens Location
• Nornir Chest Locations
• How to Unlock All Trophies
• Healing Items and How to Heal
• Yggdrasil Dew Locations
• How to Level Up
• All Jotnar Shrine Location
• How to Break Into the Hive
• How to Solve the Seasons Puzzle
• Best Builds for Kratos
• List of Treasure Maps and Treasure Locations
• Skill List and Guide
• Best Early Game Skills
• Leviathan Axe Skills
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• Talon Bow Skills
• Blades of Chaos Skills
• List of All Weapons
• Leviathan Axe
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• List of Armor
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• Runic Attacks and Summons List
• Leviathan Axe Runic Attacks
• Blades of Chaos Runic Attacks
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• List of Pommels
• Leviathan Axe Pommels
• Blades of Chaos Pommels
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Enchantments

• List of Enchantments and Unique Enchantments
• List of Artifacts and Locations
• Lost and Found
• Spoils of War Artifacts
• Family Heirlooms
• The Faces of Magic
• The Horns of Veithurgard
• Abandon Ship
• List of All Resources

Other God of War Wikis

• God of War Ragnarok
• 1 What is New Game+? (NG+)
• 2 How to Get the Traveler Set
• 3 How to Get Traveler's Grisly Trophy
• 4 How to Beat Hraezlyr | Boss Figh...
• 5 List of Talon Bow Runic Summons
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The Journey Home

• View history
• 1 Objective Information
• 2 Objectives

Objective Information [ ]

It was no accident, Mom sent us to Jötunheim . She knew everything that was going to happen... everything that HAD to happen. Mother was a Giant. The last "guardian" in Midgard . I guess she couldn't tell us... but now she wanted us to know. She wanted me to see I have a destiny, but I'm not really sure what it all means yet. Maybe we'll head home now, or maybe we'll see who needs our help. I'm ready for whatever is next.

Objectives [ ]

• Return to Týr's Temple

See also [ ]

• PlayStation 3
• PlayStation 4
• PlayStation 5
• Xbox Series
• More Systems

Mother's Ashes & Journey Home

God of war  — guide and walkthrough (ps4).

Guide and Walkthrough (PS4) by Andrew_Testa

• Previous: Jotunheim in Reach

Table of Contents

• Next: Bosses
• Introduction

Walkthrough

• The Marked Trees
• Path to the Mountain
• A Realm Beyond
• The Light of Alfheim
• Inside the Mountain
• A New Destination
• The Magic Chisel
• Behind the Lock
• The Sickness
• The Black Rune
• Return to the Summit
• Escape from Helheim
• A Pathway to Jotunheim
• Between the Realms
• Jotunheim in Reach
• Muspelheim Trials
• Runic Attacks
• Trophy Guide
• Copyright, Credit, Contact

After the conversation, use the Mystic Gateway by the dock and teleport to Brok's Shop, which is also Tyr's Temple. After going through the mystic gateway, enter the Realm Travel Room and use the table in the center. Changing realms until you get to Jotunheim, then lock it in. After the Realm Travel Room does its magic, there is a scene, and you end up on a stone stairway. Walk up it the whole way to reach the hilltops of Jotunheim. After a scene, cross the bridge to reach a cavern. Press square while looking at the statues and the wall to hear some dialogue from Atreus. Of note is the stone wall to the right, which has words carved on it. Tell Atreus to look at it to get a piece of Lore, The Dream of Midgard. Continue further to find another wall of words, and this Lore is The Guardian Returns.

After looking at both pieces of lore, walk up the steps for a scene in which Atreus looks at all of the paintings on the wall. Afterward, go through the entryway and climb up the various levels to reach the top of Jotunheim. Follow Atreus to the far side for another scene in which you spread the ashes and learn Atreus' real identity.

Return to Tyr's Temple

As you walk back through Jotunheim, the credits roll, but you still have control of Kratos. Backtrack through the cavern and then go into the light. This leads back to that long stone stairway. Go down it as you watch more credits. When you reach the bottom, you find Mimir, and the game prompts you to explore all of the endgame content. You can still continue though and do the content afterward.

Return Home

To finish your journey, you must return back to your home. Use the table in the Realm Travel Room to travel back to Midgard. In Brock and Sindri's shop, you must listen to their entire conversation before you can use the Mystic Gateway. When you do use it, choose "Home" and you arrive back at your home at the beginning of the game. Enter the house and lie down on the bed. This triggers the cliffhanger final scene of the game. Can't wait for the sequel!

Congratulations on beating God of War !

God of War (2018) Full Walkthrough – All Story Missions

April 20, 2018 by PowerPyx 2 Comments

Here you can find a full God of War (2018) Walkthrough of all Story Missions.

Below are links to all of the Main Story Quests in GOW:

Story Quests

• The Marked Trees
• Path to the Mountain
• A Realm Beyond
• The Light of Alfheim
• Inside the Mountain
• A New Destination
• The Magic Chisel
• Behind the Lock
• The Sickness
• The Black Rune
• Return to the Summit
• Escape from Helheim
• A Path To Jötunheim
• Between The Realms
• Jötunheim in Reach
• Mother’s Ashes
• The Journey Home

For All Side Quests please refer to the  God of War Side Quests Walkthrough .

More Guides:

• God of War Wiki & Strategy Guide
• Collectibles Guide
• Treasure Map Locations & Dig Sites
• Fix: Game not Fullscreen / shows Black Bars

April 27, 2020 at 1:10 am

I have the ring, and killed soul eater, now I’m stuck there, I’m on story stage and don’t want to go back to the start, can you help me?.

September 28, 2021 at 7:21 am

i think if you use the compass it should show a way back, or you can look it up on youtube, hope i was of help.

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God of War Ragnarok's Valhalla DLC Almost Guarantees a Big Choice for the Franchise

God of War's recent Valhalla DLC helped Kratos accept himself, but the expansion also signals a possible big change for the series.

• God of War's Valhalla DLC gave Kratos closure and could be hinting at Atreus taking the lead in the next game.
• Atreus' development suggests a potential half-sequel with him as the main character as Kratos guides from the sidelines.
• The dual-protagonist approach in Ragnarok sets up Atreus for his own story while Kratos transitions into a new role.

God of War brought the Norse arc to a thrilling crescendo with Ragnarok , leaving many players to wonder where the story will be headed now. Following the events of Ragnarok , God of War has left the road ahead of Kratos and Atreus wide open with possibility. However, one of last year's most exciting releases happened in the form of a surprise-free expansion for Ragnarok . The Valhalla DLC gave Kratos some long-awaited closure in accepting himself, and this could actually be hinting at where the franchise is heading.

With the battle of Ragnarok over, it feels as though God of War 's Norse saga has come to an end. With Kratos seemingly ready to move on to something new while Atreus is off searching for more Giants, it now feels clear that God of War will be changing its setting once again. For a DLC, Valhalla bringing Kratos inner peace was a major piece of character development, and this may be a sign that Atreus is about to take up the mantle in the next mainline game.

The Argument For and Against More God of War Ragnarok DLC Expansions

God of war is setting up atreus' next chapter.

Atreus has come a long way since he was first introduced back in 2018. One of the biggest rumors swirling around the God of War franchise is the potential release of a half-sequel starring Atreus . It's still unsure whether a half-sequel will happen or not, but Kratos' place in the Valhalla DLC shows that Atreus may actually be ready for a full-length game.

Kratos In Valhalla Sets The Stage For Atreus' Journey

Although Valhalla was completely focused on Kratos, it may be putting everything in place for Atreus to star in the next chapter. Kratos now accepts his role as a god, which means the character's longevity may be dwindling. After all these years, it's great to see Kratos finally come to terms with himself, but there isn't much room for the character to grow from here on out. Valhalla teased a bright future for Kratos , but his role as the main character feels like it's nearing completion.

Ultimately, Ragnarok felt like a transition. The first chapter of the Norse saga in 2018 had players only playing as Kratos, but that changed in Ragnarok . The sequel featured both Kratos and Atreus in playable roles, and although this could have just been a way to further the story, it also feels rather symbolic. Kratos and Atreus parting ways at the end demonstrates that Atreus is now ready to go out on his own to tell his own story. The dual-protagonist approach to Ragnarok could have been a clever way to get players used to playing mainly as Atreus all along.

God of War's Future Role For Kratos

If Atreus is about to take up the mantle and carry the franchise into the future, Kratos doesn't need to completely disappear. Instead, Kratos could act as a guide and mentor for Atreus in the same way he always has been, just from the sidelines. If the next God of War focuses on Atreus' journey, Kratos could eventually join, but as a companion instead.

There's also the question of how much time will pass between the events of Ragnarok and the next chapter. A fascinating approach would be to showcase a fully grown and mature Atreus in the driver's seat while Kratos settles into his age and takes on a new role as a wise teacher. Seeing Kratos handing off the torch to his son would be a heavy, emotional moment that could give Kratos a happy ending while continuing the legacy of God of War .

God of War: Ragnarok

Screen Rant

Rumored new god of war game already has a perfect story to tell.

There are rumors that a new God of War game could be in the works, and Ragnarök has already set up a perfect story for the next game.

• New job listings hint at a potential God of War sequel being in the works, and there's already plenty of potential for an Atreus spin-off to expand the Norse saga storyline.
• Atreus evolves from an NPC to a playable character in God of War Ragnarök, showing promise for future development of his unique combat style.
• An Atreus stand-alone adventure offers an opportunity for growth, exploration of powers, and learning more about his legacy before having a potential reunion with Kratos in a future title.

With recent job listings suggesting that a new God of War game could be in the works at Santa Monica Studio, there's some speculation as to what the story could be. Previously, it was confirmed that God of War Ragnarök would conclude the Norse saga of the series, leaving it as a duology, but in December 2023, the studio released a free, roguelike DLC, Valhalla , which took place after this ending, suggesting that there is room for more stories set within the Norse mythology.

The newer God of War games focus on the relationship between an older Kratos and his son Atreus, with the first game seeing Kratos teaching him to survive and fight as a warrior as they embark on a journey to scatter his mother, Faye's ashes atop the highest peak in the Nine Realms. Throughout the story, Atreus learns more about his heritage, as it's revealed that Faye was a Jötunn , and gave him the birth name, Loki. The second game in the series, God of War Ragnarök , lets players play as both characters as they follow Atreus' journey following these revelations, struggling with his identity and seeing himself and Loki as one and the same. Throughout the game, he seeks more answers about his kind, and it's extremely likely that a new game will continue to follow this thread.

New God Of War Game Looks More Likely Than Ever Following Santa Monica Studio Listings

God of war: ragnarök sets up atreus' journey, atreus leaves in search of the remaining jötnar.

While Valhalla saw Kratos reckoning with his violent past and featured several callbacks to the classic titles that reconciled the newer and older series, he and Atreus had gone their separate ways by this point, opening up another potential plotline Santa Monica Studio could follow in an upcoming game. Atreus believed that all the Jötnar were dead , which further added to his struggles, as he sought answers Kratos could not provide.

Later in the game, Atreus learned from Angrboda, one of the last remaining giants of Jötunheim, that this was not the case and that his ancestors were not extinct as he first believed, with there being the potential to resurrect his kind. At the end of the game, Atreus tells Kratos that he plans on setting out to find the other Giants alone , which Kratos accepts, acknowledging his son's birthright.

This gives Atreus a definitive future quest to follow and potentially allows room for his relationship with Angrboda - who became close to him throughout God of War Ragnarök - to develop further if she were to accompany him on this venture. Given that God of War Ragnarök featured sections in which the player controls Atreus, fans have already speculated that the series' next entry may be a spin-off game with Atreus as the sole protagonist, similar to what the Marvel's Spider-Man series did where Miles Morales got his own standalone entry to grow and develop as a hero before working together with the original hero, Peter Parker, in the sequel.

Every Way God Of War Ragnarök Sets Up A Sequel

An atreus spin-off would incorporate some different gameplay mechanics, atreus and kratos played differently in god of war: ragnarök.

With Atreus growing from being an NPC who accompanied Kratos in God of War to being a fully playable character in God of War Ragnarök , players already have some idea of how he will play as a character. While Kratos carried more weight to his gameplay due to his age, size, and years of experience, Atreus was far more nimble, using a bow given to him by his mother as his main weapon instead of the heavier kinds wielded by Kratos.

There were several moments throughout God of War Ragnarök that drove home that while he may have been trained, Atreus lacked the experience of his father, showing that he is still somewhat unrefined as an adventurer and warrior by trying to copy his father at times but not quite succeeding, leaving plenty of room to develop into a combat style of his own. While God of War Ragnarök certainly had a focus on Atreus at its core , an entire game centered around his standalone journey would allow players to see more of a transformation as he becomes more sure of himself and his abilities while discovering more about his legacy and the Jötnar.

Players have already experienced some of Atreus' magical abilities firsthand, seeing him channeling giant magic through his attacks, and his equivalent of Kratos' Spartan Rage mode seeing him transform into his wolf form. As Atreus learns more about his heritage and what the Jötnar can do, there's the potential to see these abilities change and develop further as Atreus becomes even more skilled in them, ensuring that if he does reunite with Kratos in a future title after his spin-off, both characters would have experienced growth to potentially make them more equal in combat.

Of course, for now, Santa Monica Studio has yet to officially announce its next title, so this is purely speculation. The job listings did ask for candidates who “ are fluent in the combat design choices, systems, mechanics, and enemies of God of War (2018) and God of War Ragnarök (2022) ", so it's likely to be another entry in the God of War franchise. After every entry in the series focusing on Kratos, however, an Atreus spin-off would be a great way to change things up slightly while building upon what came before and would help continue the storyline set up at the end of the game while enabling Kratos to explore another kind of mythology in a separate title.

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The Evolving Danger of the New Bird Flu

An unusual outbreak of the disease has spread to dairy herds in multiple u.s. states..

This transcript was created using speech recognition software. While it has been reviewed by human transcribers, it may contain errors. Please review the episode audio before quoting from this transcript and email [email protected] with any questions.

From “The New York Times,” I’m Sabrina Tavernise, and this is “The Daily.”

[MUSIC PLAYING]

The outbreak of bird flu that is tearing through the nation’s poultry farms is the worst in US history. But scientists say it’s now starting to spread into places and species it’s never been before.

Today, my colleague, Emily Anthes, explains.

It’s Monday, April 22.

Emily, welcome back to the show.

Thanks for having me. Happy to be here.

So, Emily, we’ve been talking here on “The Daily” about prices of things and how they’ve gotten so high, mostly in the context of inflation episodes. And one of the items that keeps coming up is eggs. Egg prices were through the roof last year, and we learned it was related to this. Avian flu has been surging in the United States. You’ve been covering this. Tell us what’s happening.

Yes, so I have been covering this virus for the last few years. And the bird flu is absolutely tearing through poultry flocks, and that is affecting egg prices. That’s a concern for everyone, for me and for my family. But when it comes to scientists, egg prices are pretty low on their list of concerns. Because they see this bird flu virus behaving differently than previous versions have. And they’re getting nervous, in particular, about the fact that this virus is reaching places and species where it’s never been before.

OK, so bird flu, though, isn’t new. I mean I remember hearing about cases in Asia in the ‘90s. Remind us how it began.

Bird flu refers to a bunch of different viruses that are adapted to spread best in birds. Wild water birds, in particular, are known for carrying these viruses. And flu viruses are famous for also being shapeshifters. So they’re constantly swapping genes around and evolving into new strains. And as you mentioned back in the ‘90s, a new version of bird flu, a virus known as H5N1, emerged in Asia. And it has been spreading on and off around the world since then, causing periodic outbreaks.

And how are these outbreaks caused?

So wild birds are the reservoir for the virus, which means they carry it in their bodies with them around the world as they fly and travel and migrate. And most of the time, these wild birds, like ducks and geese, don’t even get very sick from this virus. But they shed it. So as they’re traveling over a poultry farm maybe, if they happen to go to the bathroom in a pond that the chickens on the farm are using or eat some of the feed that chickens on the farm are eating, they can leave the virus behind.

And the virus can get into chickens. In some cases, it causes mild illness. It’s what’s known as low pathogenic avian influenza. But sometimes the virus mutates and evolves, and it can become extremely contagious and extremely fatal in poultry.

OK, so the virus comes through wild birds, but gets into farms like this, as you’re describing. How have farms traditionally handled outbreaks, when they do happen?

Well, because this threat isn’t new, there is a pretty well-established playbook for containing outbreaks. It’s sometimes known as stamping out. And brutally, what it means is killing the birds. So the virus is so deadly in this highly pathogenic form that it’s sort of destined to kill all the birds on a farm anyway once it gets in. So the response has traditionally been to proactively depopulate or cull all the birds, so it doesn’t have a chance to spread.

So that’s pretty costly for farmers.

It is. Although the US has a program where it will reimburse farmers for their losses. And the way these reimbursements work is they will reimburse farmers only for the birds that are proactively culled, and not for those who die naturally from the virus. And the thinking behind that is it’s a way to incentivize farmers to report outbreaks early.

So, OK, lots of chickens are killed in a way to manage these outbreaks. So we know how to deal with them. But what about now? Tell me about this new strain.

So this new version of the virus, it emerged in 2020.

After the deadly outbreak of the novel coronavirus, authorities have now confirmed an outbreak of the H5N1 strain of influenza, a kind of bird flu.

And pretty quickly it became clear that a couple things set it apart.

A bald eagle found dead at Carvins Cove has tested positive for the highly contagious bird flu.

This virus, for whatever reason, seemed very good at infecting all sorts of wild birds that we don’t normally associate with bird flu.

[BIRD CRYING]

He was kind of stepping, and then falling over, and using its wing to right itself.

Things like eagles and condors and pelicans.

We just lost a parliament of owls in Minneapolis.

Yeah, a couple of high profile nests.

And also in the past, wild birds have not traditionally gotten very sick from this virus. And this version of the virus not only spread widely through the wild bird population, but it proved to be devastating.

The washing up along the East Coast of the country from Scotland down to Suffolk.

We were hearing about mass die-offs of seabirds in Europe by the hundreds and the thousands.

And the bodies of the dead dot the island wherever you look.

Wow. OK. So then as we know, this strain, like previous ones, makes its way from wild animals to farmed animals, namely to chickens. But it’s even more deadly.

Absolutely. And in fact, it has already caused the worst bird flu outbreak in US history. So more than 90 million birds in the US have died as a result of this virus.

90 million birds.

Yes, and I should be clear that represents two things. So some of those birds are birds who naturally got infected and died from the virus. But the vast majority of them are birds that were proactively culled. What it adds up to is, is 90 million farmed birds in the US have died since this virus emerged. And it’s not just a chicken problem. Another thing that has been weird about this virus is it has jumped into other kinds of farms. It is the first time we’ve seen a bird flu virus jump into US livestock.

And it’s now been reported on a number of dairy farms across eight US states. And that’s just something that’s totally unprecedented.

So it’s showing up at Dairy farms now. You’re saying that bird flu has now spread to cows. How did that happen?

So we don’t know exactly how cows were first infected, but most scientists’ best guess is that maybe an infected wild bird that was migrating shed the virus into some cattle feed or a pasture or a pond, and cattle picked it up. The good news is they don’t seem to get nearly as sick as chickens do. They are generally making full recoveries on their own in a couple of weeks.

OK, so no mass culling of cows?

No, that doesn’t seem to be necessary at this point. But the bad news is that it’s starting to look like we’re seeing this virus spread from cow to cow. We don’t know exactly how that’s happening yet. But anytime you see cow-to-cow or mammal-to-mammal transmission, that’s a big concern.

And why is that exactly?

Well, there are a bunch of reasons. First, it could allow the outbreak to get much bigger, much faster, which might increase the risk to the food supply. And we might also expect it to increase the risk to farm workers, people who might be in contact with these sick cows.

Right now, the likelihood that a farmer who gets this virus passes it on is pretty low. But any time you see mammal-to-mammal transmission, it increases the chance that the virus will adapt and possibly, maybe one day get good at spreading between humans. To be clear, that’s not something that there’s any evidence happening in cows right now. But the fact that there’s any cow-to-cow transmission happening at all is enough to have scientists a bit concerned.

And then if we think more expansively beyond what’s happening on farms, there’s another big danger lurking out there. And that’s what happens when this virus gets into wild animals, vast populations that we can’t control.

We’ll be right back.

So, Emily, you said that another threat was the threat of flu in wild animal populations. Clearly, of course, it’s already in wild birds. Where else has it gone?

Well, the reason it’s become such a threat is because of how widespread it’s become in wild birds. So they keep reintroducing it to wild animal populations pretty much anywhere they go. So we’ve seen the virus repeatedly pop up in all sorts of animals that you might figure would eat a wild bird, so foxes, bobcats, bears. We actually saw it in a polar bear, raccoons. So a lot of carnivores and scavengers.

The thinking is that these animals might stumble across a sick or dead bird, eat it, and contract the virus that way. But we’re also seeing it show up in some more surprising places, too. We’ve seen the virus in a bottle-nosed dolphin, of all places.

And most devastatingly, we’ve seen enormous outbreaks in other sorts of marine mammals, especially sea lions and seals.

So elephant seals, in particular in South America, were just devastated by this virus last fall. My colleague Apoorva Mandavilli and I were talking to some scientists in South America who described to us what they called a scene from hell, of walking out onto a beach in Argentina that is normally crowded with chaotic, living, breathing, breeding, elephant seals — and the beach just being covered by carcass, after carcass, after carcass.

Mostly carcasses of young newborn pups. The virus seemed to have a mortality rate of 95 percent in these elephant seal pups, and they estimated that it might have killed more than 17,000 of the pups that were born last year. So almost the entire new generation of this colony. These are scientists that have studied these seals for decades. And they said they’ve never seen anything like it before.

And why is it so far reaching, Emily? I mean, what explains these mass die-offs?

There are probably a few explanations. One is just how much virus is out there in the environment being shed by wild birds into water and onto beaches. These are also places that viruses like this haven’t been before. So it’s reaching elephant seals and sea lions in South America that have no prior immunity.

There’s also the fact that these particular species, these sea lions and seals, tend to breed in these huge colonies all crowded together on beaches. And so what that means is if a virus makes its way into the colony, it’s very conducive conditions for it to spread. And scientists think that that’s actually what’s happening now. That it’s not just that all these seals are picking up the virus from individual birds, but that they’re actually passing it to each other.

So basically, this virus is spreading to places it’s never been before, kind of virgin snow territory, where animals just don’t have the immunity against it. And once it gets into a population packed on a beach, say, of elephant seals, it’s just like a knife through butter.

Absolutely. And an even more extreme example of that is what we’re starting to see happen in Antarctica, where there’s never been a bird flu outbreak before until last fall, for the first time, this virus reached the Antarctic mainland. And we are now seeing the virus move through colonies of not only seabirds and seals, but penguin colonies, which have not been exposed to these viruses before.

And it’s too soon to say what the toll will be. But penguins also, of course, are known for breeding in these large colonies.

Probably. don’t have many immune defenses against this virus, and of course, are facing all these other environmental threats. And so there’s a lot of fear that you add on the stress of a bird flu virus, and it could just be a tipping point for penguins.

Emily, at this point, I’m kind of wondering why more people aren’t talking about this. I mean, I didn’t know any of this before having this conversation with you, and it feels pretty worrying.

Well, a lot of experts and scientists are talking about this with rising alarm and in terms that are quite stark. They’re talking about the virus spreading through wild animal populations so quickly and so ferociously that they’re calling it an ecological disaster.

But that’s a disaster that sometimes seems distant from us, both geographically, we’re talking about things that are happening maybe at the tip of Argentina or in Antarctica. And also from our concerns of our everyday lives, what’s happening in Penguins might not seem like it has a lot to do with the price of a carton of eggs at the grocery store. But I think that we should be paying a lot of attention to how this virus is moving through animal populations, how quickly it’s moving through animal populations, and the opportunities that it is giving the virus to evolve into something that poses a much bigger threat to human health.

So the way it’s spreading in wild animals, even in remote places like Antarctica, that’s important to watch, at least in part because there’s a real danger to people here.

So we know that the virus can infect humans, and that generally it’s not very good at spreading between humans. But the concern all along has been that if this virus has more opportunities to spread between mammals, it will get better at spreading between them. And that seems to be what is happening in seals and sea lions. Scientists are already seeing evidence that the virus is adapting as it passes from marine mammal to marine mammal. And that could turn it into a virus that’s also better at spreading between people.

And if somebody walks out onto a beach and touches a dead sea lion, if their dog starts playing with a sea lion carcass, you could imagine that this virus could make its way out of marine mammals and into the human population. And if it’s this mammalian adapted version of the virus that makes its way out, that could be a bigger threat to human health.

So the sheer number of hosts that this disease has, the more opportunity it has to mutate, and the more chance it has to mutate in a way that would actually be dangerous for people.

Yes, and in particular, the more mammalian hosts. So that gives the virus many more opportunities to become a specialist in mammals instead of a specialist in birds, which is what it is right now.

Right. I like that, a specialist in mammals. So what can we do to contain this virus?

Well, scientists are exploring new options. There’s been a lot of discussion about whether we should start vaccinating chickens in the US. The government, USDA labs, have been testing some poultry vaccines. It’s probably scientifically feasible. There are challenges there, both in terms of logistics — just how would you go about vaccinating billions of chickens every year. There are also trade questions. Traditionally, a lot of countries have not been willing to accept poultry products from countries that vaccinate their poultry.

And there’s concern about whether the virus might spread undetected in flocks that are vaccinated. So as we saw with COVID, the vaccine can sometimes stop you from getting sick, but it doesn’t necessarily stop infection. And so countries are worried they might unknowingly import products that are harboring the virus.

And what about among wild animals? I mean, how do you even begin to get your head around that?

Yeah, I mean, thinking about vaccinating wild animals maybe makes vaccinating all the chickens in the US look easy. There has been some discussion of limited vaccination campaigns, but that’s not feasible on a global scale. So unfortunately, the bottom line is there isn’t a good way to stop spread in wild animals. We can try to protect some vulnerable populations, but we’re not going to stop the circulation of this virus.

So, Emily, we started this conversation with a kind of curiosity that “The Daily” had about the price of eggs. And then you explained the bird flu to us. And then somehow we ended up learning about an ecological disaster that’s unfolding all around us, and potentially the source of the next human pandemic. That is pretty scary.

It is scary, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed by it. And I feel like I should take a step back and say none of this is inevitable. None of this is necessarily happening tomorrow. But this is why scientists are concerned and why they think it’s really important to keep a very close eye on what’s happening both on farms and off farms, as this virus spreads through all sorts of animal populations.

One thing that comes up again and again and again in my interviews with people who have been studying bird flu for decades, is how this virus never stops surprising them. And sometimes those are bad surprises, like these elephant seal die-offs, the incursions into dairy cattle. But there are some encouraging signs that have emerged recently. We’re starting to see some early evidence that some of the bird populations that survived early brushes with this virus might be developing some immunity. So that’s something that maybe could help slow the spread of this virus in animal populations.

We just don’t entirely know how this is going to play out. Flu is a very difficult, wily foe. And so that’s one reason scientists are trying to keep such a close, attentive eye on what’s happening.

Emily, thank you.

Thanks for having me.

Here’s what else you should know today.

On this vote, the yeas are 366 and the nays are 58. The bill is passed.

On Saturday, in four back-to-back votes, the House voted resoundingly to approve a long-stalled package of aid to Ukraine, Israel and other American allies, delivering a major victory to President Biden, who made aid to Ukraine one of his top priorities.

On this vote, the yeas are 385, and the no’s are 34 with one answering present. The bill is passed without objection.

The House passed the component parts of the $95 billion package, which included a bill that could result in a nationwide ban of TikTok.

On this vote, the yeas are 311 and the nays are 112. The bill is passed.

Oh, one voting present. I missed it, but thank you.

In a remarkable breach of custom, Democrats stepped in to supply the crucial votes to push the legislation past hard-line Republican opposition and bring it to the floor.

The House will be in order.

The Senate is expected to pass the legislation as early as Tuesday.

Today’s episode was produced by Rikki Novetsky, Nina Feldman, Eric Krupke, and Alex Stern. It was edited by Lisa Chow and Patricia Willens; contains original music by Marion Lozano, Dan Powell, Rowan Niemisto, and Sophia Lanman; and was engineered by Chris Wood. Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly. Special thanks to Andrew Jacobs.

That’s it for “The Daily.” I’m Sabrina Tavernise. See you tomorrow.

• April 24, 2024   •   32:18 Is $60 Billion Enough to Save Ukraine?
• April 23, 2024   •   30:30 A Salacious Conspiracy or Just 34 Pieces of Paper?
• April 22, 2024   •   24:30 The Evolving Danger of the New Bird Flu
• April 19, 2024   •   30:42 The Supreme Court Takes Up Homelessness
• April 18, 2024   •   30:07 The Opening Days of Trump’s First Criminal Trial
• April 17, 2024   •   24:52 Are ‘Forever Chemicals’ a Forever Problem?
• April 16, 2024   •   29:29 A.I.’s Original Sin
• April 15, 2024   •   24:07 Iran’s Unprecedented Attack on Israel
• April 14, 2024   •   46:17 The Sunday Read: ‘What I Saw Working at The National Enquirer During Donald Trump’s Rise’
• April 12, 2024   •   34:23 How One Family Lost $900,000 in a Timeshare Scam
• April 11, 2024   •   28:39 The Staggering Success of Trump’s Trial Delay Tactics
• April 10, 2024   •   22:49 Trump’s Abortion Dilemma

Hosted by Sabrina Tavernise

Produced by Rikki Novetsky ,  Nina Feldman ,  Eric Krupke and Alex Stern

Edited by Lisa Chow and Patricia Willens

Original music by Marion Lozano ,  Dan Powell ,  Rowan Niemisto and Sophia Lanman

Engineered by Chris Wood

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The outbreak of bird flu currently tearing through the nation’s poultry is the worst in U.S. history. Scientists say it is now spreading beyond farms into places and species it has never been before.

Emily Anthes, a science reporter for The Times, explains.

On today’s episode

Emily Anthes , a science reporter for The New York Times.

Background reading

Scientists have faulted the federal response to bird flu outbreaks on dairy farms .

Here’s what to know about the outbreak.

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Special thanks to Andrew Jacobs .

The Daily is made by Rachel Quester, Lynsea Garrison, Clare Toeniskoetter, Paige Cowett, Michael Simon Johnson, Brad Fisher, Chris Wood, Jessica Cheung, Stella Tan, Alexandra Leigh Young, Lisa Chow, Eric Krupke, Marc Georges, Luke Vander Ploeg, M.J. Davis Lin, Dan Powell, Sydney Harper, Mike Benoist, Liz O. Baylen, Asthaa Chaturvedi, Rachelle Bonja, Diana Nguyen, Marion Lozano, Corey Schreppel, Rob Szypko, Elisheba Ittoop, Mooj Zadie, Patricia Willens, Rowan Niemisto, Jody Becker, Rikki Novetsky, John Ketchum, Nina Feldman, Will Reid, Carlos Prieto, Ben Calhoun, Susan Lee, Lexie Diao, Mary Wilson, Alex Stern, Dan Farrell, Sophia Lanman, Shannon Lin, Diane Wong, Devon Taylor, Alyssa Moxley, Summer Thomad, Olivia Natt, Daniel Ramirez and Brendan Klinkenberg.

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