Current Affairs - Science - Discussion

Miasma theory was the dominant belief for centuries that diseases like malaria were caused by “bad air” emanating from marshes and decaying matter. It wasn’t until scientific breakthroughs in the late 19th century, such as Alphonse Laveran’s discovery of the malaria parasite in human blood and Ronald Ross's identification of its transmission by mosquitoes, that the actual cause of malaria was understood. The shift from miasma theory to germ theory and parasite transmission not only revolutionized medicine but also had far-reaching impacts on colonial expansion, as better malaria control allowed European powers to colonize vast areas of Africa more effectively.