Mosquitoes are a growing public health threat, reversing years of progress

Don't miss this compelling global health series by The New York Times: The fight against mosquitos has never been more urgent as climate change and the rapid evolution of the insect have thwarted efforts to combat devastating diseases like malaria and dengue. Scientists are innovating, reports Stephanie Nolen, pursuing new strategies to protect public health.

Nolen traveled to five countries in Africa and Latin America to cover multiple aspects of this growing global challenge:

Mosquitoes are a growing public health threat, reversing years of progress

Climate change and the rapid evolution of the insect have helped drive up malaria deaths and brought dengue and other mosquito-borne viruses to places that never had to worry about them.

An invasive mosquito threatens catastrophe in Africa

A malaria-carrying species that thrives in urban areas and resists all insecticides is causing outbreaks in places that have rarely faced the disease.

The gamble: Can genetically-modified mosquitos end disease?

Working on a remote island, scientists think they can use genetic engineering to block a malaria-carrying species of mosquito from spreading the disease — and do it in just a few months. But governments are wary.

One village, two houses and a new tactic to win the war on mosquitos

A different way of thinking about mosquito-borne diseases could save billions of dollars and end them for good, some health experts believe.

Unleashing a new weapon on the mosquito: a mosquito

What if, instead of killing the mosquitoes, you could disarm them? Even if you couldn’t keep them from biting people, what if you could block them from passing on disease? What if you could use one infectious microbe to stop another?

Insecticides can't stop the mosquitos. Now what?

Old weapons like bed nets and insecticides don't work well anymore: Mosquitos have evolved to resist and evade them. The world needs to ways to fight mosquitos.

Man splashing water on face for heat relief
Credit: Natalia BlauthFor Unsplash+

Trump’s anti-green agenda could lead to 1.3 million more climate deaths

Most of the people expected to suffer these temperature-related deaths live in poor countries in Africa and South Asia that are least prepared to cope with the increasing heat from climate change.
port refinery and petrochemical storage tanks adjacent to ocean
Credit: Getty Images For Unsplash+

As seas rise, so do the risks from toxic sites

Flooding from surging seas is likely to inundate thousands of U.S. hazardous sites in coming years as global temperatures rise, placing the nation’s most vulnerable at greatest risk.
Illustration of arm "netting " smokestack emissions
Copyright: Dmitrynew83/ BigStock Photo ID: 419550961

Ontario wants to bury carbon dioxide deep underground. Here’s what that means

Bill 27 could allow for large-scale geologic carbon storage in Ontario to reduce the emissions from industrial processes like power generation and steel production, but critics say it’s not a silver bullet.

Image of field cracked and dried by drought with desiccated plants cut at the stem.
Crédito: Md. Hasanuzzaman Himel/Unsplash

How a billionaire's plan to export East Texas groundwater sparked a rural uprising

As fast-growing cities and suburbs scramble for new water sources, farmers in East Texas are turning to the state to keep their wells from running dry.
aerial photography of Vatican City

COP30: Pope Leo XIV urges ‘concrete actions’ on climate change

Pope Leo XIV has warned that climate change is accelerating faster than political will, urging world leaders at COP30 to take “concrete actions” before the window to keep warming below 1.5C closes.

a very large building that has been destroyed

The cost of ‘conflict carbon’: Russia faces €37 billion climate reparations bill for war in Ukraine

A new report estimates that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has generated emissions equivalent to 236.8 million tonnes of CO2, prompting Ukraine to pursue what could become the world’s first climate-related reparations claim for wartime damage.

A view of Harrisburg PA from the water

After years of sparring, Gov. Shapiro abandons Pennsylvania's landmark climate initiative

Gov. Josh Shapiro has withdrawn Pennsylvania from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, abandoning the state’s signature climate policy in a move that stunned environmental advocates.

From our Newsroom
Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

One facility has emitted cancer-causing chemicals into waterways at levels up to 520% higher than legal limits.

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro speaks with the state flag and American flag behind him.

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

silhouette of people holding hands by a lake at sunset

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

wildfire retardants being sprayed by plane

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.

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