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Nobody Loves Cockroaches [Advanced]

Oct 20, 2022

As the title suggests, we can all agree that cockroaches are one of the most disgusting creatures ever to crawl the earth. They have the power to fit through the narrowest gaps and have the audacity to leave germs on every surface they touch. They eat anything they see, including rot and feces, and then proceed to hang out in the sewers. Research suggests some bacteria like salmonella and E. Coli can survive on cockroaches for at least 2 months!

An interesting finding by a cockroach expert named William Bell suggests that the protein contained in cockroaches’ feces is a potent allergen that may cause acute allergic reactions. This is a significant finding, especially for those who live in urban areas. Whether we realize it or not, people living in big cities may actually be breathing in cockroach parts daily as they travel through the air and vents. Cockroach allergies are more common than we realize. For example, some people who are allergic to chocolate and coffee are in fact simply reacting to ground-up cockroaches.

However, cockroaches are undeniably tougher than most creatures. They have existed for millennia despite humans' efforts to eradicate them (the earliest fossil thought to be a cockroach is from the Carboniferous period, roughly around 320 million years ago). Most likely, they will be the only thing left after the world ends.

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