In a remote area of Southeast Asia, drones are fighting a battle — not against terrorists or insurgents, but against infectious disease.
Researchers on the island of Borneo are using flying robots to map out areas affected by a type of malaria parasite (Plasmodium knowlesi), which most commonly infects macaque monkeys. In recent years, public health officials in the Malaysian state of Sabah have seen a rise in the number of cases of humans infected with this deadly parasite, which is spread, via mosquitos, from macaques to people.
By mapping the communities where these cases occur, researchers hope to figure out why the parasite is spreading from monkeys to people with greater frequency, said Chris Drakeley, a professor of infection and immunity at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in the United Kingdom, and one of the researchers involved in the project.
Add Martinique to the list of destinations that you can reach via a Disney ship.
Disney today announced that it'll offer its first regular sailings to the Caribbean island in early 2016 out of San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The new seven-night Southern Caribbean voyages also will include stops in Barbados, Grenada, Antigua and St. Kitts. The sailings will take place on the 1,750-passenger Disney Magic with four departures in 2016 scheduled for Jan. 10, 17, 24 and 31.
A Disney ship has called at Martinique only once before during a special holiday sailing in 2010.
Bookings for the new Southern Caribbean itinerary open on Oct. 30 with fares starting at $980 per person, based on double occupancy and not including taxes, fees and port expenses.
Disney today also announced a new seven-night Eastern Caribbean itinerary out of Port Canaveral for 2016 that will include a call at Tortola as well as St. Thomas and Disney's private island in the Bahamas, Castaway Cay.
The sailings will take place on both the Disney Fantasy and the Disney Magic with 11 departure dates from January through April 2016. Fares start at $1,120 per person, based on double occupancy.
Just how much pampering is there on a luxury cruise ship? Now you can see for yourself right here at USA TODAY's Cruise Hub.
Part 5 of our six-part video series on the recently revamped Seven Seas Mariner, in the carousel above, offers an insider's look at the wide range of indulgences available to passengers on the vessel, from hot stone massages to elegant wine tastings.
USA TODAY Travel received special access last month to all-suite, all-balcony ship, which is operated by Regent Seven Seas Cruises and emerged from a major makeover in April.
PHOTO TOUR: The luxury of the revamped Seven Seas Mariner
We'll be posting the final installment of the series here at USA TODAY's Cruise Hub on Wednesday. Part 1 of the series, which offers an overview of the Seven Seas Mariner's recent makeover, is located HERE. Part 2, 3 and 4 of the series, which focus on the ship's dining, entertainment and all-suite accommodations, respectively, are HERE,HERE and HERE.
For a deck-by-deck look at the revamped spaces on Seven Seas Mariner, don't miss our new, comprehensive Cruise Ship Tour of the vessel in the carousel below.
Travel is like an excellent book. It gives you a fresh perspective on reality, refreshes your soul, gives you a sense of being in touch with yourself again and leaves you with a feeling of catharsis.
Your passions and aspirations start regenerating and you are left wondering why you do not do this more often. More than anything else, travel tends to offer a powerful spiritual experience, like the day you first believed. And like in the case of a good book, you never forget a single detail of a good trip.
Memorable experiences
You never forget the morning you travelled to Matemwe beach on the northern shores of Zanzibar, where you watched in awe, village women seated in those shallow salty waters of the Indian Ocean, farming seaweed or the dhow race that took place later that day.
You never forget your first experience on a German autobahn, a speedway with no speed limit, when you rode a motorcycle from Hamburg to Frankfurt and back. Sheer adrenaline. It is this newness you encounter so far away from home that truly brings you so close to home. It captures your imagination and quenches your natural thirst for adventure.
The allure of the forest
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is one such place. It is one of the most prized tourist destinations in Uganda. The high-altitude rain forest is home to the largest population of mountain gorillas in the world, at over 400 of these endangered giant primates.
The forest has an aura like no other. It is cold and dark, (the word Bwindi means darkness), yet these very gloomy qualities make it exceptionally inviting. The intensity of the smells from the forest, a mixture of moth, mushroom, aging tree bark and all sorts of herbs are all soothing to the soul.
The air is so thin, your lungs skip a beat. Because of the high-altitude, you get the sense that you are approaching the cusp of the unknown. Your city-dwelling body is not used to this alien environment. It is glorious.
The slow, two-hour climb into the National Park from Kabale Town is a separate thrill on its own. The drive up the forested ranges is punctuated by the constant popping of your ears as you go higher and higher into the ranges.
The ferns and the bamboo reeds and the general shrubbery on the forest floor are as menacing and mysterious as the giant trees that have never seen an axe since the creation story.
Credit: Daily Monitor