🌍6,000 years ago, a shift in our planet's climate caused the Sahara to turn into a desert, leading mosquitoes to specialize in biting humans.
🦟The Aedes Egypti mosquito, known for its preference for humans, is a major vector for diseases like yellow fever, zika, dengue, and chikungunya.
🌍The onset of human specialization in mosquitoes was triggered by a shift in climate and the introduction of human agriculture in the Sahel region.
🔬Genetic analysis shows that urbanization has led to the spread of human-specialist genes in mosquito populations.
🌍Mosquitoes' evolution is a reminder of how interconnected everything in nature is, from planetary cycles to the lifestyle of a tiny insect.