From the invasion of scarlets in the U.S. to our cities: the secrets of "matematic" insects

Quotidiano Nazionale

From the invasion of scarlets in the U.S. to our cities: the secrets of "matematic" insects

Rome, April 3, 2024 - Magicicada, the US prepares for the invasion of super cicadas. Paolo Fontana, an entomologist and researcher at the Edmund Mach Foundation in Trento, starts with mathematics: "These insects have very long cycles, 13 and 17 years long." By crossing these two different broods, we arrive at the prediction of a massive emergence after 221 years (13 multiplied by 17, after all). So let's try to get to know the cicadas better, fa…