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5 Alarming Vector-Borne Diseases Around the World
Twelve “death ships” docked in the port of Messina, Italy, in October 1347. Almost all crew members were discovered dead, and to the horror of dock visitors, the living were infected with an unknown disease that covered them in oozing black boils. The Black Death had arrived in Europe. The deadliest pandemic in human history, the black…
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The Case of the Missing Insect Scientists: The Worldwide Shortage of Medical Entomologists
We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but humans don’t rule the world; insects do. There are about 1.4 billion insects for every person. By virtue of their sheer numbers, insects and other arthropods have an incredible influence on society, especially on human health. Most insects are beneficial, necessary even, but there are some…
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The Concrete Jungle: How Urban Pests Impact Human Life
The boundaries separating modern humans from nature continue to blur as urban sprawl continues across woodlands, grasslands and wetlands. Rather than give up their homes, the insect occupants of these habitats are moving in alongside their new human neighbors.
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Why The World Needs Medical Entomologists More Than Ever
Medical entomologists are dedicated to eliminating vector-borne diseases by surveying and managing the insects and other arthropods that cause them — and they’re needed now more than ever. There’s just one problem: professionals with a master’s degree or graduate certificate in medical entomology are increasingly rare in the public health field.
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Sharing the Planet With Good and Bad Nematodes
Most nematodes are considered free-living, meaning that they function at several trophic levels of the food web and act as prey and predator for other creatures. Free-living nematodes are some of nature’s most vital decomposers, recycling minerals and nutrients from bacteria, fungi and other substances back into the soil. These unsung heroes are especially good…
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The Insect Apocalypse: Why Entomologists Need Your Help
Scientists are sounding the alarm, warning of plummeting insect populations and apocalyptic outcomes. Where once insects fluttered under street lights and chirped in forest meadows, there is now a distinct feeling of absence. There’s even a name for this feeling: the windshield phenomenon. Research from around the globe is shedding light on what could be…
