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.

An illustration of a glass bottle floating in water with the word HELP inside of it.
Credit: Rodion Kutsaiev/Unsplash+

FEMA cuts disaster aid, leaving states fending for themselves

President Trump has said he wants to eventually shift the burden of disaster relief and recovery onto states. It’s already happening.
Solar power panels on a roof with wind turbines and powerlines behind
Credit: Copyright: kckate16/BigStock Photo ID: 478351339

US Energy Department's $8B kill list hits major grid projects

With utility bills rising nationwide, the U.S. Department of Energy is nixing federal cash for projects that would bring more power to the central U.S.

A aerial view of a flooded neighborhood.
Credit: Getty Images/Unsplash+

FEMA buyouts vs. risky real estate: New maps reveal post-flood migration patterns across the US

In general, people are moving to safer homes after disasters, but the vast majority are selling, meaning someone else is now taking on that risk. Buyout programs can help.
Flooded road with sign "Water Over Road."
Photo by Wes Warren on Unsplash

FEMA denied or didn’t advance most Kerr County flood requests

Advocates are questioning why so many applicants from the flood-ravaged Texas county have not received federal disaster help. Nonprofits are trying to fill in the gaps.

Forest dwelling Ecuadorian Kichwa tribesman

How a declaration of ancestral wisdom is changing law, science and our understanding of the world

José Gualinga discusses his Kichwa People of Sarayaku’s visionary Living Forest Declaration and the importance of collaborating across cultures and areas of expertise.
a group of white corals on a coral reef

Podcast: Will coral reefs be gone by 2050?

Twenty-five years ago, a landmark paper warned that the world’s coral reefs could vanish by 2050. Now, halfway to that projected date (and amid ever more frequent coral bleaching events), that grim prediction feels increasingly close to reality.

A red sailboat in the water near icebergs

Climate change in the Arctic: How melting ice is causing Greenland to ‘shrink’

New research shows that Greenland is slowly “shrinking” and shifting northwest as melting ice reduces pressure on the land beneath it, causing the island’s bedrock to twist, stretch, and rise.

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.

Stay informed: sign up for The Daily Climate newsletter
Top news on climate impacts, solutions, politics, drivers. Delivered to your inbox week days.