If human beings had never had to face illnesses throughout our history, we would have already become a space faring race with colonies across the farthest reaches of the galaxies. Of course, our growth has always been hampered by outbreaks of diseases, and we feel like malaria stands out as an example of this for the most part. Malaria is an illness that can be caused by a specific kind of mosquito, and suffice it to say that ancient civilizations had to deal with it constantly so much so that it became a shaper of their growth and history.
One of the most incredible examples of malaria’s impact on history is the way that it made humans build cities and take steps to keep mosquitoes away. Ventilation, mesh nets and other things were invented solely to prevent these insects from coming anywhere close to us. There is also quite an enormous cultural impact that malaria had, since people back in those days were very spiritual and to an extent even superstitious thereby leading to religious ceremonies being created for the express purpose of warding off a malaria outbreak.
Another way that ancient civilizations were affected by malaria was that it controlled our population growth. People didn’t live very long back in those days, and diseases were a major component in that trend. As the centuries went by, we discovered quinine and other remedies that can ease the symptoms of malaria and make it far less likely that it will lead to loss of life on any significant scale. Still, to this very day, there are places that face malaria outbreaks which result in widespread damage, and we should all play our part in trying to get rid of it once and for all.