- [Narrator] You might not
want to think about this,
but over 3500 species of cockroaches
live on this planet.
The good news?
Only about 30 of those species
have adapted to live around humans.
The bad news?
30 species of cockroaches
can live around us!
Roaches are one of the most
common pests in the US.
So it's no surprise that humans
are always trying to kill them.
But no matter how many
times we stomp them,
squash them, and bomb
them with toxic chemicals,
these pesky pests always seem
to pop up time and time again.
So what's going on?
Let's take a closer look at the roach
you probably know better than you'd like.
Periplaneta Americana.
Aka, the American Cockroach.
But this name is misleading.
This guy is actually
from Africa, not America.
It made its way to the US
by infesting boats in the 16th century,
and it's been spreading to
almost every corner in the world
ever since.
It turns out,
it's one of the largest
species of cockroach around.
But that's not the only
big thing about it.
New research has revealed
that it has a massive genome.
One of the largest of any studied insect.
And may of these genes are
exactly what make this roach
a master survivor.
Let's start with the genes associated
with something called Chemoreception.
That's how roaches smell
and taste their environment.
Turns out they're actually way better
at sniffing out and eating
food than most other insects.
The American roach has 154
olfactory receptors for smell,
and 544 gustatory receptors for taste.
More than any other insect on the planet.
As a result, these cockroaches
are not picky eaters.
Sure, they like cheese, meat
and sugar like the rest of us,
but they'll also go for
things like cardboard,
book bindings, human
toenails, rotting meat,
blood, excrement, and even each other.
That's right, these
roaches have been known
to eat other dead or crippled cockroaches,
all in the name of survival.
It sounds gross, but this diverse diet
makes it easy to find a
meal just about anywhere,
even if it's poisonous to most animals.
This roach has a bunch of
genes called Cytochrome P450s,
which help it withstand
poisonous chemicals,
like peppermint.
These genes code for
detoxification enzymes,
which keep the insect safe.
On top of that, this roach has
a super-strong immune system
that seeks out and kills
harmful microbes and fungi,
making the most unsanitary environment
look like a five-start hotel
to the American cockroach.
Not gross enough yet?
Well consider this.
Cockroaches can live nearly
a week without their heads.
Yeah, that's not a myth.
They don't have a highly
pressurized network
of blood vessels like humans,
so they don't bleed out.
Instead, their necks actually
seal off the opening.
They can't regenerate a whole head,
but roaches to have an impressive set
of regenerative superpowers.
For up to the first two years of its life,
the American roach goes through a series
of regenerative molts as
it matures into an adult.
During a single molt stage,
it can replace lost limbs.
And over a series of molts,
it can regrow antennae
and even its eyes.
Roaches may be hard to kill,
but there's an easy way to keep
them clear of your kitchen.
Cleanliness.
A roach just won't survive
in unsanitary conditions,
it actually enjoys it.
Its heightened senses mean
it actually relishes rotting food.
So, store food in airtight containers.
Cover trash bins, and
keep your basement dry.
It might also be smart to
plug holes in your walls,
unused electrical outlets,
and especially drains,
since get this,
roaches can use your plumbing
to climb up from sewers
into your bathroom sink.
It might not eliminate the risk entirely,
but it can't hurt,
and it will certainly
make you feel better.
However, we can't promise
it will keep them out
of your nightmares.
(dramatic music)
