According to a recent study from Georgetown University Medical Center, if global temperatures continue to rise, up to a billion people could be exposed to diseases that are often carried by mosquitoes that are currently only able to survive in warmer climates. This includes diseases like Dengue Fever, Chikungunya, and the Zika virus.
The study was published in the open-access journal PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases and was titled, “Global expansion and redistribution of Aedes-borne virus transmission risk with climate change.”
The overall goal of the study was to track the two most common disease-carrying mosquitoes, the Aedes aegypti, and Aedes albopictus, to determine if the mosquitoes moved with the changing temperatures, expanding to places as the areas become warmer.
Biologist Colin J. Carlson of Georgetown University, one of the lead researchers in the study, says that once an outbreak occurs, it can travel much farther than the warm regions that mosquitoes inhabit.
“Climate change is the largest and most comprehensive threat to global health security. Mosquitoes are only a part of the challenge, but after the Zika outbreak in Brazil in 2015, we’re especially worried about what comes next,” Carlson said.
Despite their small size, mosquitoes are actually considered to be one of the most deadly animals in the world by the World Health Organization. Diseases from these flying insects kill millions of people each year through a variety of diseases.
Mosquitoes are a part of everyday life for people living in the tropics, but as temperatures around the earth continue to warm, experts say that their reach will expand.
Sadie J. Ryan of the University of Florida is one of the other lead researchers in the study, and she says that this will give more pathogens for humans to spread around, increasing the risk of infection.
“These diseases, which we think of as strictly tropical, have been showing up already in areas with suitable climates, such as Florida because humans are very good at moving both bugs and their pathogens around the globe,” Ryan explained.
Carlson said that infection rates of tropical diseases could increase significantly in areas like Europe and North America.
“The risk of disease transmission is a serious problem, even over the next few decades. Places like Europe, North America, and high elevations in the tropics that used to be too cold for the viruses will face new diseases like dengue,” Carlson said.
“Understanding the geographic shifts of risks really puts this in perspective. While we may see changing numbers and think we have the answer, imagine a world too hot for these mosquitoes,” Ryan says.
“This might sound like good news, bad news scenario, but it’s all bad news if we end up in the worst timeline for climate change,” Carlson says. “Any scenario where a region gets too warm to transmit dengue is one where we also have different but equally severe threats in other health sectors,” Carlson added.
In the study, the team cataloged the migration patterns of mosquitos and tracked the temperatures of the areas that they were traveling in.
“Based on what we know about mosquito movement from region to region, 50 years is a considerable long time, and we expect a significant spread of both types of insects, particularly Aedes aegypti, which thrive in urban environments. This is only one study to begin understanding the fast-approaching challenges we face with global warming. We have a Herculean task ahead. We need to figure out pathogen by pathogen, region by region when problems will emerge so that we can plan a global health response,” Carlson said.
Other study authors include Erin A. Mordecai of Stanford University and Leah R. Johnson of Virginia Polytechnic and State University.
Many people have not considered how the movement of animals and insects will change with changing temperatures, and this is one of the first studies to specifically look at how this issue is developing over time. With disease-carrying insects and animals having more room to move around, it makes sense that humans would be at a higher risk of infection, but now we have some proof that this is the situation that is beginning to develop. Soon it will be more important than ever for people all over the globe to be on the lookout for mosquitoes.
The most common benefit of incense is that it acts as a natural air freshener or an odor eater with a pleasant smell, and keeps our homes or room fresh.
Whether it is during study or at work, the use of specific incenses enables clear thinking and helps in developing a state of complete awareness. Monks recognized this benefit of incense long ago and used it during their meditation to clear the air as well as their thoughts. Jewelry makers and other workers who require intense concentration also often use incense to help them focus and to switch back and forth between working under the microscope and working away from it.
Similar to a fun song or beautiful scenery can inspire the imagination, a pleasing aroma can get the creative energy flowing. The many herbal scents of incense can transport one’s mind away to a tropical island, a rain forest, a high range, or any other earthly heaven. The smells of incense can put one in a dream-like state where the imagination is set free to roam.
Incense has long been used by religious and spiritual leaders to purify the air and the soul. Particular incense smoke has antibacterial, fungicidal, and insecticidal properties and, therefore, really does purify the air. It is said that the incense increases positive energy and drives away negative energy. The pure air is like health food for the brain and the body, resulting in an increased motivation and energy level.
With increased focus, creativity, and motivation naturally comes increased confidence. When your body is relaxed, and your brain is firing on all cylinders, you’re at your best, and when you’re at your best, you’re at your most confident. 
Everyone knows that pheromones are nature’s aphrodisiac, which is why they are used in perfumes to attract the opposite sex. Similarly, by indulging the sense of smell, incense acts as a powerful aphrodisiac. The scents created by certain incenses stimulate sexual appetite and increase sexual attraction. Additionally, we’ve already covered that fragrance can boost confidence and enhance focus, and nothing attracts the opposite sex more than courage and focus. Therefore, even if one were to use incense by himself and then meet up with his partner elsewhere, his increased confidence and focus will naturally turn his partner on. If a couple uses incense together, the smells will kick in the pheromone effect, and they most likely will have a hard time keeping their hands off each other.
Many types of incense have antibacterial properties and can be used as a disinfectant to kill germs in the environment. In a recent Chinese study, incense was used to sterilize a hospital ward and was found to be just as effective as more conventional means of sterilization such as using steam. By keeping your environment sterile, you can prevent infections and diseases. Because many herbs, such as Myrrh, also act as antiseptics, gathering the smoke from certain types of incense and rubbing it over a wound may help the wound heal faster since the smoke can kill germs on the wound.
Our sense of smell is a direct path to the brain, and certain odors trigger an immediate response via the Limbic System. Distinct aromas stimulate the brain to produce essential chemicals, such as serotonin and dopamine, which cause feelings of happiness, relaxation, and contentment. For headache relief, certain incense aromas can help open the nasal passages, while others can lower blood pressure.
A study from an international team of scientists has discovered how burning frankincense (resin from the Boswellia plant) activates poorly understood ion channels in the brain that alleviate anxiety or depression. Incensole acetate, a Boswellia resin constituent, was administered to mice and found to stimulate TRPV3, a protein which helps reduce anxiety and depression symptoms. The compound significantly affected brain areas known to be involved in emotions as well as in nerve circuits that are affected by current anxiety and depression drugs.
Monks and spiritual leaders well know the calming effects of incense. Certain incense aromas work to slow down the heart rate and soothe nerves. These calming effects help to relieve built up tension in the muscles, enabling incense also to be used as a muscle relaxer.
As a result of the calming effects of burning incense, incense can also be used to induce sleep. The sedative properties of incense make it an excellent natural treatment to aid insomnia. This list is not quite thorough from the full effects of scent that can have on the body and mind. There is a wide variety of plants and different parts of the plant used in incense, and each of these plants contains many different chemicals and compounds that affect the body. Inhaling these compounds is just another way of introducing them into the body, not much different than putting them into a pill form and ingesting them. The only difference is that inhaling them via incense has been done for thousands of years and is 100% natural, safe, and non-addicting. Therefore, incense should be considered as an effective remedy in treating such ailments as headaches and depression before resorting to prescription drugs. Because of all the benefits to the mind and body, it is wise to use incense regularly to maintain health and happiness.