Malaria's Cosmos by Abebe Fola (IMAGE) Walter and Eliza Hall Institute Caption This image is from a study investigating malaria in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Its rainbow-colored 'cosmos' of connected dots is loaded with valuable information about parasite populations and the spread of infection. Each dot represents a malaria parasite that has been detected in blood samples collected from across the country. The colors of the dots denote the parasite's geographic origin. The red dots, for instance, show parasites that originated in the capital city of Port Moresby. Abebe is using this technique to understand where infection hot spots are in PNG, how infections are spreading and what kind of control strategies are best employed on a path towards eliminating malaria. Credit Abebe Fola, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute Usage Restrictions With credit License Licensed content Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.