The Pest of Destruction – Poetry of Science

Between the thirsty
and brick hollow,
They can’t see –
Seams not selected,
Sewing
Ditch and
Bone marking stone.
Heating hover
In the road crease,
Its slow hand
Unlock the door
Leave Ajar
Famine –
The kiss of destruction at night.
more than,
Tower wearing glass
Hoard their glittering wreckage,
under
In the rootless corner
Hunger turned his face,
Press into the fault line
We can’t see it.

The poem is inspired by recent research that found that urban rat populations in most major cities are increasing driven by climate warming and urbanization.

Rats have long been part of urban life, thriving in the spaces where human activities create shelters and food. Their presence is more than just inconvenience – urban rats can damage infrastructure, contaminate food supply and spread disease. As cities become increasingly dense and warm due to climate change, the conditions that make rat populations flourish are shifting in ways that are not yet fully understood. Understanding these trends is crucial because the increase in the number of rats may increase the risk of public health and urban infrastructure.

The study used public complaints and examination records to examine rat population trends in 16 cities around the world to track changes over time. In most cities, rat populations are increasing, especially among people experiencing higher temperatures and higher urbanization. Washington, D.C., New York and Amsterdam were among the most significant growth, while only three cities showed a decline. The results show that climate change and the expanding urban population are expanding the active seasons of rats and increasing food availability, thus providing them with more opportunities to thrive. Just as urban planning plans for the future, they will need to consider how these biological shifts shape urban management strategies.