A Time-Lapse Map of Every Death From the Coronavirus Pandemic (Up to July 2020)

This is an audio-visual time-lapse of every death from the Coronavirus pandemic from January to June 2020. Inspired by Isao Hashimoto's “A Time-Lapse Map of Every Nuclear Explosion Since 1945”; each country is represented by a tone and an expanding blip on the map when a death from Covid-19 is recorded. Each day is 4 seconds long, and at the top of the screen is the date and a counter showing the total numbers of deaths. Every country that has had a fatality is included.
🎧 Headphones recommended 🎧
Like the outbreak of Coronavirus, this work starts in China and it starts slowly. But of course, it rapidly spreads. The piece starts to rapidly pick up at around the 3:30 mark but I strongly recommended watching the whole piece from the beginning to truly experience the overwhelming scale. The virus grows continuing to work its way throughout the world until the end of June - where this piece ends but the real virus has not. At the time of uploading this Covid-19 has claimed over 500,000 deaths worldwide (750,000 as of August 13th 2020). It is likely a sequel will need to be made.
This work was emotionally a difficult piece to write and may be upsetting to some people. I created it to highlight the terrifying spread of this virus and to try and understand how frightening its exponential growth has been. There seems to be something much more real and chilling about these numbers when you hear them, as well as seeing them.
There are no words in this piece, only symbols, numbers, and flags. I would like this to be understood and seen by as many people around the world as possible from all countries and cultures. Sometimes there are no words for terrible events like this. If you are available to help me translate this description for other languages then please do get in touch via my KZbin or Instagram channels.
Dedicated to every person that tragically lost their lives to Covid-19.
Music and animation by James Beckwith.
Thanks for watching and subscribe for more videos.
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FURTHER DETAILS:
I chose the date format (YYYY-MM-DD) because of the Europe/North America difference between the layout of month and day. I hope this version is the clearest.
Each country’s audio is panned at its perceived place on the world map e.g. USA is left, Japan is right, UK in the center etc.
The tonal choices were roughly ordered with the main epicentre of the virus being in the middle range (Europe), with countries less affected in the higher register. Mexico and South America are mostly lower notes which sweep in towards the end of the piece as the epicentre of the virus shifts to the Americas.
Several territories & microstates (e.g. Hong Kong) were included where deaths occurred, and two cruise ships - the Diamond Princess and MS Zaandam. These are represented by the Carnival Cruise Line flags at the end.
At the end of the piece is the breakdown of deaths per country as of June 30th, 2020, represented by each countries official flag.
All instruments were made with the Retro Synth plugin in Logic Pro.
The ethereal reverb sound is an audio plugin called Valhalla Shimmer.
Music was created in Logic Pro, and animation in Adobe After Effects.
For more (less bleak) content, subscribe and check out my KZbin channel.
I am a musician and composer based in London, UK.
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SOCIAL MEDIA:
/ jamesbeckwith1
www.jamesbeckwith.com
/ iamjamesbeckwith
jamesbeckwith.bandcamp.com
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DISCLAIMER:
This is created by the official data that countries have reported as of July 1st, 2020. This piece is portrayed as accurately as possible, painstakingly copying over 20,000 lines of data - although there are a few artistic licences. The data is primarily gathered from the COVID-19 Tracker from the London School Of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, with backup data from Johns Hopkins University, Our World In Data, and Worldometers. As of uploading this (July 4th, 2020) it is likely updated and slightly different from what is portrayed here. There are likely many more cases that are unconfirmed and there are discrepancies and changes since between countries, organisations, and studies. Sadly there are also likely more deaths than documented, particularly in countries that have less reliable reporting methods or are suppressing the data.
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SOURCES:
A Time-Lapse Map of Every Nuclear Explosion: • A Time-Lapse Map of Ev...
Johns Hopkins: coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html
London School Of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine: vac-lshtm.shinyapps.io/ncov_t...
Map Chart: mapchart.net/
Our World In Data: ourworldindata.org/coronavirus
Valhalla Shimmer Audio Plugin: valhalladsp.com/shop/reverb/v...
World Health Organization: www.who.int/news-room/detail/
27-04-2020-who-timeline---covid-19
Worldometer: www.worldometers.info/coronav...
℗© 2020 James Beckwith

[@docem43]

Wow, it has really passed 2 years. It feels like just yesterday. What a chaotic time to live in

[@ashya.pashya]

3 year my guy you got some brainfog ig

[@docem43]

@@ashya.pashya nahhh 💀💀💀

[@sfbxiii]

Fr time moves fast

[@osheridan]

Almost 3

[@NotDisko]

my bois it almost 4 years since covid started rn

[@ThePiquedPigeon]

A time-lapse map of every nuclear explosion since 1945 : "Who are you?" This video: "I'm you but scarier!"

[@brendankilfeather7613]

The musical tones makes it even more ominous..as it really is

[@Freeaviator]

every one of those people had a life as complex and meaningful as yours

[@richiehoyt8487]

Normally these sorts of "Count your blessings" - type of comments get right up my nose, whether they're coming from religious types or "SJW" types. (Maybe I'm just that shallow!) I've gotta say though, in fairness, for whatever reason, your comment resonated with me. Food for thought, indeed.

[@Void_Wars]

It starts like a heartbeat, a heartbeat for humanity. I hope this video reaches to billions.

[@Jamesbeckwith1]

That’s such a kind comment thanks so much.

[@CrimsonFox36]

You mean the view count, right?

[@memesrrgt1530]

@@CrimsonFox36yeah he does

[@jenniferwatson5523]

Powerful. This got me. Thank you for the effort of making it.

[@Jamesbeckwith1]

Thanks for watching!

[@bokunogentoo4420]

I wonder if the sources for the data in this video are telling the whole story. I distinctly remember seeing news reports about some mysterious new illness going on in China during the late months of 2019, but I guess back then people were still getting away with passing off covid deaths as pneumonia deaths so it's hard to get the actual numbers

[@Cheva-Pate]

It started late 2019, it was a military sports-event in Wuhan it was people from all around the world, in a military base in northern Sweden many got “sick” but no one died, it was soldiers in good condition that got sick, but Pandora’s box was open…..

[@SpiderBubblegumvideos]

I don't know why I am watching this video as I have anxiety and trauma, but I can say that it's a good tool to sum up the 2020 Pandemic in the Human History.

[@TheOfficialFivervex]

its verry educational and i feel for what you said

[@sandra4065]

No need to fear - just avoid hospitalization when they send out the next depopulation attempt.

[@Emmi.0902]

True

[@DannyDoesGuitar]

The sound design in this video is excellent 👌

[@Jamesbeckwith1]

Thank you very much!

[@monjos1280]

Fantastic work

[@Jamesbeckwith1]

Thank you

[@ShehryarHydri]

This could easily have been one of those bland animated bar charts or blinking maps but the way you spaced each day and the total duration gave it such impact. That stretched time and your powerful music somehow converted the cold stats into actual deaths and families destroyed. In a sea of distracting two minute clips, this dares us to look away before the whole film ends. Very impressive work.

[@mollya2198]

This was a scary time to live in for me the video makes it maybe a little more scary 👍 work!

[@n606084]

Hi sir, could I use your video for broadcasting (program television- non commercial)

[@user-pj5lc1to1t]

hello:) i'm high school student in Korea, actually i want to use part of your video for our school UCC competition and can i use it..?plz

[@arthurnaut-1]

You should do a time lapse of this up to today.

[@hornblendbeach1735]

I lime the sound volume slowly increasing. Nice job.

[@quokkapirquish6825]

I satsuma the images

[@snoozebutton23]

Anyone ever play this game called plague or virus simulator? Its been out for quite a few years and this is what it reminded me of. Seriously! Corona isnt a game but finding it ironic to have played a game years ago that is similar to the handling we currently have. So sad to say the least. Stay safe everyone!

[@charlottebarham7722]

Plague Inc./Plague Inc. Evolved?

[@the4thindustrialrevolution225]

What software did you use to create this?

[@Jamesbeckwith1]

Adobe After Effects for visuals and Logic Pro for audio

[@rufus-t415]

I bet China should have the largest circle

[@kaydenka1]

I’m guessing they stopped reporting their covid related cases.

[@ritedw]

​@@kaydenka1Have you seen the news? China continues to build a large number of hospitals, just to allow all patients to recover, and every day to report virus-related information, as well as the number of deaths, from the beginning of the virus until now, has not stopped, China so far only more than 120,000 deaths, because the Chinese people are united, life is the first

[@MrMddT]

Here in Brasil we reached 60 000 deaths in July. That was less than five months since the first death on the country. Today, we have 60 000 deaths only on the state of São Paulo and thats less than one year of pandemic.

[@GrifoStelle]

Have is there an update to this?

[@besimk]

Tremendous work!

[@Vypros19]

Amazing work, but this is probably the most sinister song ever made.

[@mythilinarla1969]

"Pack your bags, kids. We're going to Botswana!"

[@RealRysky]

2:22 is when it doesn't stop at all

[@danielsnowden1918]

I know you spent a lot of time on this but where update?

[@amandabelela225]

QUE VÍDEO!!!!

[@bingus_number1]

Australia looks like a nice place to be in this time you know

[@childreninmybasement1]

Nah. Greeenland

[@FPChris]

Double that now 10/5

[@MiikaLiukka]

This would be SO MUCH more informative if the deaths were smaller dots scattered randomly around their respective country, and distributed equally over the day in question, instead of every death being in the geometric midpoint of the country and every death occurring almost immediately at the start of the day. Now 10 deaths looks exactly the same as 100 deaths, just a solid red circle that conveys no real information. It's a cool concept but I'm sad about the missed potential!

[@Jamesbeckwith1]

I mean, it’s a not a data map it’s an art piece. Plenty of those others around. There’s no easy centralised place to find provincial data round the world for every country. Might take a few years to break down every country with their unique reporting methods and piece it together. And when your done all the data will be different. Good luck though!

[@MiikaLiukka]

@@Jamesbeckwith1 yeah I mean, putting everything in the geographic center is just as wrong as putting them in random spots. I wasn't suggesting it should be totally accurate, just would be visually better looking!

[@jamesgully0077]

​@@Jamesbeckwith1great video man. It is very well done.. thanks

[@kaydenka1]

I’m grateful it wasn’t as bad in Australia (my country) and NZ (my father’s country), but damn do I feel for the nations that got hit hard. I’m surprised the US and EU got that bad, and why is China not as infected as the year progressed? Did they stop reporting deaths? Sending love to everyone. ❤

[@yuvrajshah1158]

Little bit of not reporting, little bit of no one allowed outside at all under almost any circumstance. Meanwhile the us was barely following quarantine.

[@charlesseiderman29]

It's interesting to see that in the U.S. the virus initially spred in the Midwest, and not in N.Y.C., which is the most populated?

[@kippywylie]

It's only the graphics of this video, not showing regions of the US. Was looking for the "patient zero" who was actually near my home in suburban Seattle WA

[@kenmontero8261]

this is the scariest video ever

[@TheFi0r3]

Pfft, try one for the Spanish Flu.

[@beegamer55]

It's so scary after all

[@RTL2024]

*8 Jan 2023* so the coronavirus was spread out 3 years ago.

[@okyoe25]

This is amazing. Wow. Would you be able to make one of just the USA?

[@AlanJaffray]

Some of the circles are red, some blue - what does that signify?

[@Jamesbeckwith1]

The edges of the circles are blue so it’s a higher concentration of blips so more deaths.

[@TurkeyZai]

2022 be looking at these figures and think pathetic Covid-19 Deaths as of 8/8/2022 - 6,437,085 Rest in Peace :(

[@kevina5337]

Good God Europe got absolutely ravaged by this thing

[@FloridianIrishGuy]

Well I mean it is a fairly small continent, with a very high population

[@kaydenka1]

That honestly shocked me. I thought they would’ve done more to prevent the spread.

[@user-fq5tr5mm2g]

Update please

[@macleunin]

Update: Brazil has now over 80K deaths.

[@I_LV_ho229]

R.I.P😢

[@user-ty4ew8pq1u]

6:04 Jeeze 😮😮😮, even the Coronavirus is taking a beating out of the UK, they were scary times 😢😢

[@dwaltonrealtor]

Wow. Chilling. A serious wake up call to us all to wear a fucking mask!

[@tinman3586]

This comment didn't age well.

[@user-ir8fs7ss2l]

Strange date at start ..!!! Should start around August 17.

[@KoltShortsPlayzz]

Dude Italy is on fire bro

[@TheFi0r3]

It's a country full of old people, what do you expect?

[@yourfactstory]

Can i have one from the normal flu ??

[@vhaxelortiz6720]

Groenlandia, New Guinea & Papua and Mongolia no has COVID. I say this because never got a red point.

[@leonardo1949]

AMERICA AND EUROPE : 💀💀💀

[@penguinos_pasta]

europe: *eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee* 4:57

[@tonitron70]

👍🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@Itsyrm8]

Make one with every person that farted in the last decade. You will notice a dramatic increase

[@TheGUARDIANOFFOR]

Now please show us map of deaths of common flue just to have comparison you know.....

[@karenwright3618]

And 11:27 is my birthday in 2022.

[@Maleetheboy]

And 8:26 is my birthday in 2020

[@Fat12219]

2020 was a bad year 😢

[@user-ty4ew8pq1u]

Definitely 👍, man 2020 was the year the world who expected to have a horrible impact on the Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Pandemic Outbreak, 😢 and it was scary times though 😢

[@dr.celalettinucar]

Look at the scattering of the pandemic. This is Jetstream route !

[@magoon993]

28 days later anyone

[@MaxwellStreetKlezmerBand]

Any chance that you would take the time to do one just for the USA? Thank you.

[@MaxwellStreetKlezmerBand]

For some reason this came out of my organizational KZbin page, but it's from me personally--Lori

[@Jamesbeckwith1]

I’ve been thinking about this - and I probably will yes. It will be all 50 states so may take a little while!

[@MaxwellStreetKlezmerBand]

This is holy work you are doing. Thank you!

[@ozgott1415]

Death data was way to politicized to be accurate. Good video though, ... very entertaining.

[@B-Bets]

Great idea, nothing is to scale. Looking at Canada vs USA 06/30 Canada had 25 deaths......

[@Jamesbeckwith1]

I can assure you everything is to scale - I tediously went through it all twice (with a few artistic licences). On 30/06 the USA had 1277 - hence the giant blip at the end from the USA and Canada had 22 - hence the small blip. The blips start tiny and take a few seconds to grow.

[@monkeypie8701]

waking up from my nightmare and the phones ringing

[@beanmanbutchina]

This is clearly inspired by the map showing nuclear explosions

[@Jamesbeckwith1]

correct

[@richiehoyt8487]

The creator cites that video in the credits.

[@Gamers-of-the-Abyss]

My country just being like: Ya'll got no skill, i am the king now. EDIT: as a hungarian, i am actually proud only 500 people died while in the middle of every single country was literally dying. Take hungarians words: if there are soilders outside, don't go outside. They will probably shoot you down to everyone to watch.

[@Resnicanin]

Serbia Update: up to 22nd July, 499 total deaths. Source: covid19.rs

[@gioelepichinelli7866]

who else heard RUSH E? in the first days in china?

[@shaunlovessewing4413]

Corona Virus: The Musical!

[@hengkysofyan8848]

sounds like rush e😊

[@jjfromthebigland781]

I'm moving to Iceland...

[@user-ty4ew8pq1u]

If you move to Iceland unfortunately Coronavirus will still get the country infected 😪 so no matter where you go mate, from UK, Iceland, Norway, Denmark, Africa, USA, Brazil, Unfortunately Coronavirus is everywhere in the entire world 🌎 😕

[@theyolofanarmy4380]

Rip

[@Griefing594]

1:40, Something is in china

[@samfeldstein4498]

You know the virus is bad here in America when countries in Africa are doing better in terms of deaths. Thanks for making this. Also what is that flag above Angola's that has 13 deaths?

[@Jamesbeckwith1]

That's the Diamond Princess cruise ship - the flag is the Carnival Cruise Lines

[@Void_Wars]

Because more people travel to America than Africa.

[@karenwright3618]

Oh, the music of COVID-19, how wonderful, bizarre, and deadly it is.

[@TheFi0r3]

Barely a bleep on the radar when it came to population 🤣

[@Fat12219]

Europe got messed up 😮

[@richiehoyt8487]

I take two things from this - beyond a certain point, all the border closures and quarantines (and very likely, the lockdowns) were pointless, "Closing the stable door after the horse has bolted" - except maybe for some very isolated countries/territories - Greenland, the 'nesias, New Guinea, possibly Iceland and New Zealand... And before a certain point, had it not been for a particular 'bad actor' (before they did a U - turn and they started welding people into their homes) and a politically correct international 'scientific', ie political consensus, we had a solid chance of stopping this thing before it 'jumped the fence', or at least bought ourselves a decent amount of time until we had vaccines ready to 'roll out' (a term that normally makes me wince outside the context of rocket lauches, but reasonable in this case!)

[@michrain5872]

Sobering...

[@DJMervJay]

Australia got away Free I guess lol

[@kaickBaconHair]

O cara lembrou que era setembro

[@warland2469]

🇺🇲🇺🇲LETS GO!!!! MURICA #1 🇺🇲🇺🇸

[@md.8058]

Wrong information chines death list highest approximately 1.6 million to 2.4 million daths

[@ritedw]

Have you seen the news? China continues to build a large number of hospitals, just to allow all patients to recover, and every day to report virus-related information, as well as the number of deaths, from the beginning of the virus until now, has not stopped, China so far only more than 120,000

[@graymikep64]

It was a flu. Relax

[@RestInPeaceL4R]

North America , Europe : HELP ME IM DIE TOO MUCH!!!!

[@raypraise]

lies this is not ALL deaths

[@thegreatinferno9510]

it only goes up to july 2020 lol

[@alistronex]

Cagata pazzesca!

[@coleernest8421]

This was called depopulation

[@TheFi0r3]

Pfft, only +5 million deaths in a year (maybe 15-20 if you count unreported deaths) Hardly a blip on the radar of the population.

[@mertatsever4916]

+

[@dichter_nebel6916]

America so bad the heal system

[@TheFi0r3]

Meth, it was actually a pretty average death ratio when accounted for population difference for developed (and therefore old) countries.

[@magoon993]

Moral of the story. Don't go to red counties or poor or Asian infected countries.

[@andychilcott7245]

You have to question why the death rates in the US and UK are so high.

[@jimmylolo8108]

People refused to take vaccines or practice any cautions. Not exactly a state secret.

[@Aries.69]

Ty China!

[@Lwof1025]

:(

[@forelithe]

sobering

[@marcinmos1298]

12 monkeys

[@GunPlay762]

Tbh not a big fan of the chinese

[@rgp8038]

Can I have one on the side effects of the jab?

[@markae0]

the officials did not write it down so it doesn't exist. Jab was supposed to go into muscle( arm/leg), idiots injected into bloodstream, went directly to the heart muscle. Not good

[@afawfasd537]

Made in china

[@ritedw]

Only 120,000 people died in China because the Chinese are united, have strong epidemic prevention capabilities, and the virus cannot be made in China, and the outbreak site of the virus is located in a very dense Chinese population, in the center of China, which is a deliberate release of the virus

[@ritedw]

This is the case of someone deliberately dropping the virus in China

[@Mystic_Edge]

This is obnoxious

[@ronaldtartaglia4459]

Absolute bullshit.

[@FPChris]

And Trump STILL downplays even after everyone around him has it including himself.

[@georgforster1]

Greetings from Wuhan.