00:00Hello. Thank you for watching today.
00:17Today's topic is the mass outbreaks of living creatures that have been reported all over the world.
00:23In 2019, a giant worm-like creature was discovered washing up on a California beach, covering the entire beach.
00:38It was about 25 centimeters long, and from a distance it looked like a large amount of thin Setsumaimo potatoes had been discarded.
00:46When the residents approached, it began to move in a slimy manner, and it looked like a disgusting creature from a science fiction movie.
00:56In fact, this creature is a related animal called the Yunushi, and is apparently eaten in some parts of Hokkaido, Japan.
01:06Usually, Yunushi live by digging tunnels in the sand or on the tidal flats and hiding there.
01:14Their bodies are protected by mucus to prevent them from drying out.
01:21So why did they appear in such large numbers and wash up on shore?
01:28The reasons for this are said to be global warming, the approach of large typhoons, and other factors that often cause these events.
01:37Therefore, scholars believe that Yunus is also warning us about these risks.
01:47Such outbreaks are occurring all over the world.
01:52One particular concern that has arisen since last year is the swarms of locusts that have been appearing in large numbers in Africa and are now threatening to reach China.
02:05Their numbers are in the billions, and they have the ability to travel up to 150km per day.
02:13And as they move, they eat all kinds of crops and plants.
02:20With 150 million locusts per square kilometre, they consume enough produce per day to feed 35,000 people, reproduce quickly and travel long distances, making them a widespread threat to humanity.
02:40Not only will there be a shortage of food for local residents, but there will also be a shortage of feed for livestock, causing great damage to agriculture and the livestock industry.
02:51On the other hand, although there is no damage to crops, these small insects, which are cute when found alone, seem to cause great fear among residents when they appear in large numbers.
03:03In 2009, a massive outbreak of ladybugs was confirmed in Colorado, USA.
03:12The number is said to be as high as tens of millions, or even hundreds of millions, and the cause of this mass outbreak is unknown, with one scholar predicting that it may be due to heavy rainfall.
03:24After that, he stayed in town for several weeks.
03:31Also, periodically, there are insects in North America that can be predicted to have large outbreaks.
03:37There is a pattern to 13-year and 17-year cicadas, with them appearing in large numbers only once every 17 or 13 years.
03:50It seems that this cicada always appears in a specific small area or range in North America, at that particular cycle.
03:58When they occur, they get into houses and car engine compartments, and large numbers of dead cicadas appear in swimming pools at home, and they make a loud noise like cicadas, which is a nuisance for residents.
04:14In particular, residents are not using pesticides to kill the cicadas, but are simply enduring the situation for several weeks.
04:22Such mass outbreaks are occurring not only in foreign countries but also in Japan.
04:31In August 2008, a large number of moths appeared in Iwate Prefecture.
04:37These moths appear in 10-year cycles, and when they do appear, they appear in such large numbers that it is impossible to see more than a few meters ahead.
04:46In particular, at night, as they have a habit of gathering around light, they have been gathering in large numbers around streetlights and house windows.
04:57Once they start appearing in large numbers, even insecticides are difficult to reduce their numbers, so the only way to deal with them seems to be to turn off street lights at night and take measures to prevent light from leaking outside from your home as much as possible.
05:16There are various theories about the cause of this mass outbreak, but a common thread seems to be that it is often related to some kind of change in the environment.
05:27For example, there are weather events such as heavy rain and environmental changes caused by humans.
05:34In particular, humans are the cause of global warming, and in the end, humanity may be strangling itself.
05:47Considering these things, the world should work together to protect the global environment.
05:53Well, that's all for now. See you again. Bye.
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