Climate Change is Now Harming… Our Dogs?
As if climate change did not seem to be negatively impacting everything as we know it already, it also has recently been shown to trigger the spread of diseases throughout the United States. The post...
View ArticleToxoplasma: A Cat-astrophe?
Could your pet cat really be carrying a dangerous disease? Some people might be afraid of adopting cats due to the fear of contracting Toxoplasma, a disease caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii...
View ArticleAre possums actually awesome?
It is a common misconception that possums are rabid, disease carrying animals with no good intentions. When someone says the word “possum” the one thought that will probably pop into most people's head...
View ArticleLyme Disease in Winter
Similar to other wildlife diseases, there are myths about Lyme disease. While many myths exists, one of the most interesting myths about Lyme disease pertains to transmission. People believe that ticks...
View ArticleCicadas + Magic Mushrooms = ?
Magic mushrooms, also known as shrooms, are not allowed for human consumption, but cicadas are also experiencing the same drugs via a different route. Does it affect them the same as it does humans?...
View ArticleHuman Rabies Mortality in India: Why Is This Still An Issue?
There are an estimated 25 million stray dogs within the country of India. These animals serve as carriers for one of the deadliest diseases in the world - one that has ravaged the country and...
View ArticleHey, farmer, farmer, put away the DDT now
Music has often been used as an outlet for activists to reach a broader audience on issues concerning politics, social issues, and environmental crises. Joni Mitchell was a prominent and very...
View ArticleTransmission of Leprosy in the US via Armadillos
Repeatedly referenced throughout the Bible, leprosy, also known as Hansen’s Disease, may often be perceived by the general public to be an ancient disease that has ceased to endanger the modern world....
View ArticleTuberculosis: One of the Biggest Killers of All Time
Throughout human history, it is estimated that over 1 billion people have succumbed to Tuberculosis. The deadly bacterial infection targets the immunocompromised population as well as those who have...
View ArticleWakelet – the new (& in my opinion better) Storify
I spend a lot of time on social media, specifically Twitter. It's my job. Our @AGU_SciComm account is one of the primary ways to disseminate Sharing Science information, AGU happenings, new science in...
View Article15 feet Tall and Threatened!
Wild giraffes across Africa are suffering from multiple skin disorders. The Rothschild’s giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis rothschild) population is shrinking at an alarming rate in Kenya and Uganda....
View ArticleViruses as Medicine for Antibiotic-Resistant Bacterial Infections
One of the most groundbreaking medical discoveries has been the development of phage therapy. Phage therapy refers to the use of bacteriophages, viruses that infect bacteria, as a mechanism to defeat...
View ArticleDanse Macabre, Not as Fun as it Sounds
Wildlife diseases not only impact the health of humans and animals, but they also play a large role in generating artistic trends. One such trend in, or genre of, art was the Danse Macabre, also known...
View ArticleDebunking the alleged connection between Lyme disease and Unrelated Conditions
Lyme Disease, or Lyme Borreliosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the Borrelia genus of Bacteria. This bacteria is usually transferred to a human host by the bite of a tick. Lyme disease can effect the...
View ArticleA Troubling Site: Mass Death of Botswanan Elephant Population
Since early March, there has been mass death among the elephant population in Botswana. The cause? We don’t know. The Botswanan government has ruled out three causes: poison, poaching, and anthrax....
View ArticleWinston Churchill and the Spanish Flu
Winston Churchill is notable one of the most influential people to ever live being recognized for many public policies that he had implemented in England during his time serving in parliament. What is...
View ArticleTongue worms, they’re not just for reptiles…..humans too!
Tongue worm disease caused by the parasite Linguatula serrata is a blood sucking parasite that belongs to the group Pentastomida. This species generally inhabits the upper respiratory tract of...
View ArticleAnthrax, a cool band name but devastating to reindeer
Anthrax, also known as Bacillus anthracis, is a gram-positive bacterium that has a very high fatality rate up to 80% when inhaled. This deadly bacterium is now a yearly ticking timebomb in northern...
View ArticleResearch Suggests Leprosy to be a Zoonosis, The Reservoir: Armadillos
Leprosy, renamed Hansen’s Disease, is a chronic condition caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae). The disease primarily targets the skin and peripheral nerves, however new forms of...
View ArticleDebunked Myths about the Bubonic Plague
The Black Death, believed to have been caused by infection with the bacterium Yersinia pestis, killed about 100 million people worldwide in the fourteenth century. However, there is still much that is...
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