There’s no need to panic, no human cases have yet been reported.
Mosquito saliva can affect your immune system up to a weeks
Guess what: one more reason to hate mosquitoes.
Malaria makes its hosts smell better to draw more mosquitoes, research finds
Sneaky, sneaky plasmodium.
Drug could make human blood deadly toxic to mosquitoes
A drug developed in the 1980s to fight parasites can make human blood toxic to mosquitoes when taken in a high dose.
CRISPR edit makes mosquitoes far less likely to pass malaria
This looks like a better alternative to wiping out mosquitoes at the population level.
Waving away mosquitoes teaches them to stop bothering prey
Mosquitoes learned to associate smells with vibrations mimicking human hand movements produced by “the vortexer” machine.
Scientists want to reduce mosquito population. By releasing 20 million mosquitoes
It seems counterintuitive, but it can work.
Scientists engineer mosquitoes that could stop malaria spread
A mosquito with a gene that blocks the malaria parasite has been created in the laboratory, a new research reports.
Miami Beach mosquitoes are carrying Zika, tests confirm
They’re a really tough species to fight.
Why mosquitoes bite me more than others
In short: mosquitoes like you more because you’re easier to find on their ‘radar’.
Need to ward off pesky mosquitoes? Sleep with a chicken over your head
Believe it or not, there’s actual scientific proof backing this advice.
Global warming lets mosquitoes thrive in the Arctic, threatening wildlife
The Arctic is overrun with giant mosquitoes: larger, furrier versions of the mosquitoes we all know and hate. As temperatures in the Arctic continue to rise, these mosquitoes can not only brood for a longer period of time, but they can survive more, in higher numbers. According to a new study published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences this is a major problem, and one that will continue to grow as the planet gets hotter.
Drug-Resistant Malaria Could Pose Huge Global Threat
The ability to keep malaria under control is crucial – the disease is highly contagious and the potential health hazards are immense. Efforts have been somewhat successful, with fatalities dropping from over 1 million in 2000 to 584,000 in 2014. But the protozoans that are causing the disease are starting to become immune to the drugs we are using, and that’s a huge problem.
Amazing fungus gnat larvae group together to form a ‘snake’ [VIDEO]
Fungus gnats (Bradysia species) – also known as dark-winged fungus gnats, are small, mosquito-like insects often found in homes and offices, usually in the vicinity of houseplants. The larvae that hatch are legless, with white or transparent bodies and shiny black heads. From the first glimpse you’ll notice they’re not the prettiest sight, but what they lack in looks, they make up in cleverness.
Finally, a malaria vaccine may have been discovered
Reporting in PLOS Medicine, researchers found that for every 1000 children who received the vaccine, 800 malaria cases can be prevented. While this is not yet sufficient to eradicate the disease, it is the closest scientists have gotten to a malaria vaccine. Malaria affects millions of people every year throughout the world, claiming just under 1 million lives in 2013
Malaria-carrying mosquitoes manipulated only to breed males, thus wiping whole populations
According to latest estimates by the World Health Organisation, over 3.4 billion people are at risk from contracting malaria and an estimated 627,000 people die each year from the disease. Thanks to the painstaking efforts of leading researchers in the field, however, much progress has been made in curbing down on malaria. Since 2000, increased prevention and control measures have
First fossilized mosquito is still full of blood
Finding mosquitoes trapped in amber is truly exciting, but it’s not really unique – there have been several reported cases all around the world, and some people are even selling such samples (which I don’t think is a good thing, but that’s another discussion). But finding a fossilized mosquito in sediment… now that’s unique! It took a series of highly
Breakthroughs against malaria: highly effective vaccine developed; meanwhile, anti-malaria soap wins prize
Some 300 million cases of malaria are reported each year in Africa, the continent where the disease is still running rampant. For decades, scientists have been investing immense amounts of energy battling the disease, trying to come up with effective treatments. The recent step forward in the war against malaria comes from Maryland-based biotech Sanaria, which reportedly has developed an anti-malaria
Huge mosquitoes 20x the size of normal ones invade central Florida
In the aftermath of heavy rains from Tropical Storms Debby and Andrea, a giant mosquito species has surfaced and invaded central Florida. Authorities have issued warnings to residents to be extra careful of these very aggressive bloodsuckers that can grow up to 20 times the size of a typical mosquito. Their bite isn’t a lot more painful though, however seeing how
Mutant mosquitoes lose desire for human scent
Mosquitoes are not only extremely annoying, but they’re some of the most lethal creatures out there, with malaria infecting over 200 million people each year. But genetically modified mosquitoes that lack some of their sense of smell cannot tell humans from other animals and no longer avoid approaching people who are slathered in bug spray. This finding, published in Nature,