Everyone leaves a legacy.

But a legacy can change over time as new generations re-examine old reputations.

From Wundery and Goalhanger Podcasts, I'm Afu Hirsch.

I'm Peter Frankepan, and in a brand new series we're exploring the lives of some of the biggest characters in history, from Napoleon to Picasso.

And asking, what does their past tell us about our present? This is legacy.

Follow now, wherever you get your podcasts. This is CBS I on the world with John Bachelor.

Here's John Bachelor.

The Earth transformed an untold history by Professor Peter Francopan of Oxford University, a professor of global history.

The mosquito empires of the well as Asia, the mosquito empires, the limits of malaria, aka yellow fever.

I learned from the professor that in this period of exploitation of nature and mankind, after in the 17th and 18th century the limits of those

of the people to survive in mosquito empires define their ability to respond to the politics in Europe and also the opportunities

in the new world.

Professor, the Malaria story is one that I did not ever think of as a limitation on the

Europeans did they themselves see it that way yes they did and that in common par, West Africa was known as the white man's grave.

So short were life expectancies when many Europeans tried to reach West Africa.

And one of the challenges was around disease environments.

Ironically, what happened in the case of transatlantic slavery was that many of the peoples who are being transported,

of course, against their well in horrific conditions bonded forever

and their progeny too were so desirable particularly after the 1617, 1670s,

was because not all but some populations in West Africa

contain genetic mutations that give genetic resistance to malaria, at least

will provide 90% resistance to malaria.

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