Female mosquitoes rely on one another to choose the best breeding sites − and with the arrival of spring, they’re already on the hunt

Female mosquitoes don’t want to lay their eggs alone, but they don’t want sites that are too crowded either. Understanding what guides their choice could inform new control strategies.

Matthew DeGennaro, Associate Professor of Biological Sciences, Florida International University • conversation
March 19, 2024 • ~8 min

Keeping 8 billion people healthy in a hotter, more crowded world -- 4 ways population and climate change put public health at risk

The human population has doubled in 48 years, and worsening climate change has left the world facing serious health risks, from infectious diseases to hunger and heat stress.

Maureen Lichtveld, Dean of the School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh • conversation
Nov. 10, 2022 • ~9 min

8 billion people: Four ways climate change and population growth combine to threaten public health, with global consequences

The human population has doubled in 48 years, and worsening climate change has left the world facing serious health risks, from infectious diseases to hunger and heat stress.

Maureen Lichtveld, Dean of the School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh • conversation
Nov. 10, 2022 • ~9 min

Viruses can change your scent to make you more attractive to mosquitoes, new research in mice finds

Certain viruses like dengue and Zika can make their hosts smell tastier to mosquitoes. Luckily, vitamin A and its derivatives may help combat these odor changes.

Penghua Wang, Assistant Professor of Immunology, University of Connecticut • conversation
June 30, 2022 • ~9 min

More dengue fever and less malaria – mosquito control strategies may need to shift as Africa heats up

A warming climate may change the types of viruses that thrive. A new report suggests that the threat of malaria may be replaced by dengue, for which there is no treatment and no cure.

Jason Rasgon, Professor of Entomology and Disease Epidemiology, Pennsylvania State University • conversation
Sept. 9, 2020 • ~5 min

An argument for gene drive technology to genetically control populations of insects like mosquitoes and locusts

Gene drive guarantees that a trait will be passed to the next generation. But should society use this tool to control insect populations?

Brian Lovett, Postdoctoral Researcher in Mycology, West Virginia University • conversation
July 14, 2020 • ~10 min

An argument for gene drive technology to genetically control insects like mosquitoes and locusts

Gene drive guarantees that a trait will be passed to the next generation. But should society use this tool to control insect populations?

Brian Lovett, Postdoctoral Researcher in Mycology, West Virginia University • conversation
July 14, 2020 • ~10 min

Genetically modified mosquitoes could be released in Florida and Texas beginning this summer – silver bullet or jumping the gun?

Release of GM mosquitoes in Florida is imminent. But a multidisciplinary team of scientists believe that more studies are needed first. They encourage a publicly accessible registry for GM organisms.

Natalie Kofler, Levenick Resident Scholar in Sustainability, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign • conversation
June 3, 2020 • ~9 min

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