To help residents prepare for 2021, entomologists from Rentokil and its family of pest control providers used field knowledge and data to provide their predictions for pests in the upcoming year.
Rodents, Rodents Everywhere
With shutdowns across the country, it s no surprise that rodents are on the rise nationwide. Empty buildings, the scarcity of food and warmer winters have combined to create a rodent apocalypse.
We re seeing more rats in urban, suburban and rural settings because of the shutdowns, said Marc Potzler, Board Certified Entomologist with Ehrlich Pest Control. Food sources are cut off, and rats are having to travel to scavenge for food. We ve seen rats out in public during the day, which is highly unusual.
neuson11 / iStock / Getty Images Plus $3.9M self-deleting genes project takes aim at mosquito-borne diseases
Researchers are pursuing strategies in mosquito genetic engineering to control mosquito populations and prevent disease transmission such as malaria. A new Texas A&M AgriLife Research project aims to enable temporary “test runs” of proposed genetic changes in mosquitoes, after which the changes remove themselves from the mosquitoes’ genetic code.
The project’s first results were published on Dec. 28, in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, titled “Making gene drive biodegradable.”
Zach Adelman, professor Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Entomology
Scientists at Texas A&M have developed a new technique for altering the genes of mosquitoes the new technology will cause genetic changes to self-delete from the mosquitoes genome.
E-Mail
To control mosquito populations and prevent them from transmitting diseases such as malaria, many researchers are pursuing strategies in mosquito genetic engineering. A new Texas A&M AgriLife Research project aims to enable temporary test runs of proposed genetic changes in mosquitoes, after which the changes remove themselves from the mosquitoes genetic code.
The project s first results were published on Dec. 28 in
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, titled Making gene drive biodegradable.
Zach Adelman, Ph.D, and Kevin Myles, Ph.D., both professors in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Entomology are the principal investigators. Over five years, the team will receive $3.9 million in funding from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to test and fine-tune the self-deleting gene technology.
Bristol Myers Squibb Strengthens its Commitment to the Environment with New Corporate Goals
Bristol Myers Squibb Strengthens its Commitment to the Environment with New Corporate Goals
Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) today announced it is strengthening its commitment to environmental sustainability on a global basis by setting new 2030 and 2040 goals. By 2030, the company will purchase 100% of the electricity it uses from renewable sources, and by 2040, it will be carbon neutral in its Scope 1 (direct) and Scope 2 (indirect) emissions and reach the targets of equitable water use, zero waste to landfill and 100% electric vehicles in its fleet. These new environmental goals are in line with Bristol Myers Squibbs strategy to leverage sustainability to drive innovation, build resiliency and manage non-financial risks across its operations and portfolio. Todays announcement builds upon this years $300 million combined investment by Bristol Myers Squibb and the Bristol Myers Squibb Fo