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.

Fishing boat on open water with oil drilling rig in the background

Trump Cabinet exempts Gulf drilling from species protections

The unprecedented move from a rarely used Endangered Species Committee granted the broadest exemption in the law’s history.
Methane flaring at desert fracking sites

Invisible plumes and ‘terrible pollution’: the reality of the US gas sites rated ‘grade A’

Guardian investigation into reliability of methane certification issued by MiQ reveals the weakness of voluntary model.

Oil and gas facility flaring excess methane at night

EPA’s Aaron Szabo once helped write oil industry argument against methane rules

Before becoming a top official at the Environmental Protection Agency, Aaron Szabo was a lobbyist for the oil and gas industry. Metadata shows he helped draft a trade group’s 2022 letter to the EPA objecting to controls on methane emissions.
A various headshots of a woman in varying states of emotion

The emotional contradictions of climate messaging

Two new analyses of media and social posts reveal some unexpected twists — climate advocates warn of crisis while offering optimism, and skeptics lean on "science."

Grain harvesting

The Trump administration’s new biofuels targets threaten carbon-rich rainforests

The U.S. doesn’t have enough bio-based diesel to meet the administration’s new mandate, so blenders will have to import yet more foreign crop-based oils.
A small rooftop solar panel on a tiled roof

Iran war sparks renewables boom as Europeans rush to buy solar, heat pumps and EVs

The war on Iran has become a catalyst for green technology, as Europeans scramble to find less volatile alternatives to oil and gas.
A row of wind turbines against a blue sky

Texas saw a $50B future in renewables. Then the political winds shifted

Clean energy brought income to ranchers and to counties buffeted by boom-and-bust oil cycles. Federal policy changes threaten that momentum.
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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