Research from a savannah area in Mali shows that satellites can reveal the environmental factors that trigger the biological cycles of both the Plasmodium falciparum parasite and its host the Anopheles mosquito. Remote sensing data of vegetation accurately predicted climate trends affecting both the parasite and the mosquito and could therefore forecast the severity of a malaria outbreak. Satellite data could be used to tailor control programmes such as mosquito spraying, pesticide-impregnated net use or early detection and treatment to environmental conditions, say the researchers.