# Research Methodology Question
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/research-methodology-question/629392
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [July 25, 2012, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/research-methodology-question/629392 "2012-07-25T23:39:01Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)
#### Post date: [July 25, 2012, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/research-methodology-question/629392/1 "2012-07-25T23:39:01Z")
The Guinness book (when it was still meaningful, unlike the picture-heavy coffee table items of today) for a couple of years gave a category: the most dangerous animal. It suggested the malaria mosquito, which they estimate was responsible for approx. 50% of all human deaths since recorded history, and no doubt long before that.
How would you try and go verifying this claim?
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### Author:  [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2012, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/research-methodology-question/629392/2 "2012-07-26T16:45:02Z")
All deaths, or just all deaths that could in any way be ascribed to an animal?
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### Author:  [@Bass\_Chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bass_Chick)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2012, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/research-methodology-question/629392/3 "2012-07-26T17:08:56Z")
I’d start with current World Health Organization mortality statistics and work my way backwards.