On May 1, Dawn Biehler, an assistant professor of geography and environmental systems, was a guest on Science for the People Radio to discuss her book Pests in the City: Flies, Bedbugs, Cockroaches, and Rats (University of Washington Press). “Science for the People” is a syndicated radio show and podcast based in Edmonton, Alberta, that broadcasts weekly across North America and aims to explore intersections among science, popular culture, history, and public policy.
During her interview, Biehler examined several topics, including the environment and policies in the early twentieth century which created more disadvantages for low-income city residents in dealing with pest control. She also discussed how many people at the time were unaware of the health concerns associated with pests.
“This is a time when they are just starting to realize specific infectious diseases could be spread by pests. Before 1900, very few lay people knew about germ theory. There might have been suspicions that pests spread specific kinds of diseases, but it wasn’t really well-known,” Biehler said.
To listen to the full interview on “Science for the People,” click here.
