How a tiny insect shaped the course of human warfare

History · Published 7 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: With an estimated 100 trillion mosquitoes active on Earth at any moment, these insects do more than just bite. This video explores how these disease carriers have exerted an outsized influence on the history of war.

Mosquitoes act as vectors for a variety of deadly and debilitating illnesses, including malaria, yellow fever, dengue fever, West Nile virus, and the Zika virus. Because of their massive global population, they have historically played a significant role in the outcomes of military conflicts.

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