The German cockroach is an indoor pest that is found across the world. Science has finally solved the mystery of its origin. The cockroach, contrary to popular belief, isn’t one species. There are ...

Using genetics to identify the origin and the global path of the ubiquitous insect pest, the German cockroach, back to its wild origin could help us develop more effective pesticides to control them.

A new study traces the German cockroach’s evolution throughout human history, from the Islamic empires to modern-day Europe. The German cockroach (above) likely evolved from the Asian cockroach.