Mosquitoes Really Are Getting Worse!
One of the many ways climate change is making our world more dangerous is through the spreading of diseases by mosquitoes. They are responsible for expanding the reach of a variety of diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever, Zika, chikungunya, West Nile virus, and eastern equine encephalitis.
The most common—and most deadly—type of disease-carrying mosquitoes are Aedes mosquitoes, which live primarily in densely populated urban areas. They are capable of laying hundreds of eggs in a single capful of water.
Climate change is increasing the danger from these mosquitoes in several ways. Because mosquitoes thrive in warmer climates, higher temperatures allow them to expand their territory—further north in the northern hemisphere, further south in the southern hemisphere, and further upward in higher elevation areas.
Increasing temperatures also mean that mosquitoes can begin breeding earlier in the year. And since the mosquito population increases tenfold with each breeding cycle, that early start means that we have many more mosquitoes when the summer months arrive. On the other hand, that early start is irrelevant for one species of mosquito—Aedes albopictus—because the changing weather now allows it to breed year-round in Connecticut.
There is also evidence that mosquitoes become infectious more quickly in warmer temperatures, in part because the viruses survive and thrive better in that kind of weather.
Finally, climate change and increasing urbanization are hurting the biodiversity of species. In other words, some insect species are being forced out because they cannot adapt quickly enough to changes in their environment. Unfortunately, mosquitoes are not one of those. They adapt quickly and quite well, so they are filling some of the niches left behind by the absence of other insect species.
This increase in diseases is something that was predicted by the climate scientists long ago—and perhaps by biblical prophecy even longer ago.
To learn more about what climate change is, how it is impacting our world, and how it might be fulfilling biblical prophecy, read Chapter 11 of my book, Beyond Blind Faith, entitled “Apocalypse Soon.” You can read it in its entirety for free on this website. Just click here, or go to “Don’s Books” at the top of this page and scroll down to the “List of Contents” under my book, Beyond Blind Faith.
This blog entry was based in part on information in the following article:
1. “Are Mosquitoes Getting More Dangerous?,” by Alice Park, in the September 30, 2024 edition of Time Magazine, pp. 22-23.
0 Comments