Disease Transmission

The Dilution Effect: Placebo or Panacea?

For a long time, ecologists have asked: why are there so many species? How is it possible that there can be so many species of, for example, phytoplankton that exist at the same time? They all use the same resources, like light, carbon and nitrogen, and all are prey to the same types of animals,

Divide and Conquer! A parasitic worm's key to survival

You may have already forgotten about Halloween, but the recent discovery of a new social organization of body-snatching parasites might be enough to send shivers down your spine!  Trematodes are a clade of worms that are almost exclusively parasites of snails and mollusks (with the notable exception of schistosomes); one species is the cause of

Fossilized Ebola is Hiding in Your Pet Hamster's DNA!

Ebolavirus is one of the most infamous disease causing pathogens of the modern era. The 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa was the largest outbreak of ebolavirus to date, with over 28,000 suspected cases and 11,000 deaths. Ebolavirus is just one member of the Filoviridae virus family. These viruses are colloquially referred to as Filoviruses

Fatal Attraction: The Truth Behind Mosquito Bite Preference

For as long as I can remember, they have come for me. They follow me everywhere, stealing a tiny drop of my life force and replacing it with poison before I even know they've been there. I still bear the scars of their attacks on my legs and ankles. I have tried every defense– chemical,

Vaccine 101: Why Vaccinate?

After taking a trip back in time to learn the history of vaccines and then inside a vaccine to learn the ingredients, we continue Vaccine 101 with our next lesson: why vaccinate?

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