Month: January 2023

Recently, HBO has began premiering a new show based on the popular video game The Last of Us. The show has been a major hit and portrays a world overcome by a disease that essentially turns people into zombies. However, unlike many other zombie infections in pop culture, this infection may be realistic. Over the course of the last few decades, Earth’s climate has been quickly growing warmer, while this may not affect human’s directly, the increased temperature allows diseases to thrive in circumstances they couldn’t normally survive in. According to the CDC, the Danger Zone for bacteria to thrive in ranges from roughly 41 degrees to 135 degrees. The warmer the better, as evident by the amount of diseases prevalent in humid, warm environments such as rainforests. In The Last of Us, a species of fungi knows as Cordyceps (a real fungus) mutated an had the ability to take over the mind of a human. This sounds like science fiction, but in the real world this same fungus has the ability to perform such an action on insects. The Cordyceps’ spores will find their way into an insect, then slowly grown within similar to a parasite, then the invader will control the brain of the insect and grow out of its body to distribute even more spores. The only reason this can’t affect humans is because Cordyceps need a cooler body temperature, however if a mutation occurs as a result of climate change and the fungus is forced to accept warmer temperatures then humans may be next on the menu.

Another issue that the science community fears is that melting of permafrost. Permafrost is present in Arctic environments and is essentially frozen dirt and water that has been this way for thousands of years. Within this environment bacteria and viruses have been frozen in time and if warmed could be reintroduced above the surface. Many of these diseases have been dead for centuries and only preserved in this permafrost. If the permafrost were to thaw, and much already has, then humans could face a whole plethora of new infections and viruses. Traces of DNA/RNA from diseases such as the Bubonic Plague, Smallpox, and the 1918 Influenza virus have been found from melted permafrost.

The National Library of Medicine explains in more detail how this process works and the threats we face.

In the graph above various sources have been identified that threaten humans and our immune systems. Rising temperatures, rainfalls, and floods all provide warm, and humid environments ripe for diseases to mutate or become more deadly. As climate change continue to worsen, overcrowding and migration may also play a huge role in the spread of such diseases. If mass migrations were to occur, more people would be packed into unsanitary conditions and diseases would easily circulate. We see this often after natural disasters occur where people receiving care for their injuries contract deadly diseases through cuts, unsanitary medical equipment, and close contact with people already infected with the infection or virus.

 

The idea of eating insects may sounds disgusting, and certainly isn’t a part of an average western diet. However, in many places around the globe, especially in the east people have been eating bugs for as long as humans could talk. While some insects are poisonous the vast majority are entirely edible. Over 2 billion people consume insects regularly, the market for insects has grown 40% in the past year. Eating insects as a form of protein may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it has many benefits environmentally and physically.

Edible Bugs Bucket List: 25 Insects People Eat Around the World

Try some of these common edible insects!

The benefits of farming insects for food are enormous and very efficient. Bugs provide equal protein when compared to typical forms of protein such as fish, beef, and chicken, while even surpassing most of these proteins per kg. Insects are also easier to maintain, farm, and distribute as a result of their living habits. On a typical farm, most animals need acres of space to graze and spend their time, however because many insects are apart of colonies they don’t mind cramped space with other insects. They’re also packed with nutrients and other beneficial antioxidants.

Eating insects makes people squeamish regardless of how safe and edible they may be. It’s easier for people if they slowly introduce insects into their diet and work towards other insects. Personally I haven’t ate any insects before but I’d be open to trying them. In the future as our planet faces consequences from global warming they may become more necessary to reach our daily food intake goals. So it’s better to start now than later!

How to Prepare Crickets for Human Consumption?

Try this recipe and respond in the comments with how it tasted!

In Asian, South America, and Africa these insects are a staple of their diets, yet this practice hasn’t yet became mainstream in Western culture. If this is the case, other means of eating insects with a twist exist. Many species of mealworms and crickets are grounded into a flour and mixed with wheat which taste exactly the same. People who tried both cricket infused flour and normal flour couldn’t tell the difference. The added benefits of the crickets provide extra protein and nutrients.

https://www.statista.com/topics/4806/edible-insects/#topicOverview

As I stated before, insects have been growing in popularity over the lasts reveal years. The link above details how this market has grown and where it’s forecasted to reach within the coming decades. Hop on the trend and begin tasting insects before they’re introduced into our diets as an alternative to beef and chicken. Everyone I know that has tried insects is surprised with how they taste and how palatable they are. Many people claim crickets taste like peanuts and would try them again if given the opportunity. Many grocery stores are beginning to sell various insects of different flavors and varieties. Just like chips they can be spiced and have flavor added to them. Experiment with different recipes and insects and help both your physical wellbeing and the enviornment which may rely on this food source in the coming years!