A study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA traces the global spread of the German cockroach to southeast Asia over 1,200 years ago.

The species evolved around 2,100 years ago and spread to Europe and the Americas via human travel and trade routes.

German cockroaches have developed resistance to insecticides and use social foraging for survival.

Understanding the evolutionary history of cockroaches is vital for improving pest control methods.

There is an urgent need for innovative strategies to combat cockroaches' ability to contaminate food and spread diseases in urban areas.

Further research on their genomic aspects of rapid spread and insecticide resistance is crucial.

Newsweek invites readers to share tips and questions about cockroaches at [email protected].