TOP STORY: A Hotter World Means More Disease Outbreaks in Our Future

TIME recently wrote an article discussing the negative effects of climate change, in regards to the recent rise in infectious diseases. Due to the changing climate, pathogen-carrying animals are spreading to previously inhospitable habitats, upsetting the delicate ecosystems that had remained untouched by these diseases.

Animals, including humans, have been adapting to the changing climates while unknowingly making themselves more susceptible to these diseases. Dr. Laalitha Surapaneni in the Department of Medicine spoke with TIME about the impact of higher global temperatures on disease outbreaks. “The health impacts of climate change are here. And they are affecting us right here, right now,” she said.