We often hear about viruses and bacteria that threaten the ability of humans to live. We just got through a pandemic, which showed that in real-time.

When you really stop to think about it, however, there are many things that work behind the scenes that could threaten the ability of life to exist. Some of them are easy to spot and others are more hidden from sight.

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According to The Mirror, in the UK, rats and mice seem to be in that position of power. Poison is often used to kill rodents, but the poison has become less and less effective over the past 20 years or so.

Since the rodents are able to survive being poisoned, an expert is now sounding a warning about a "super rodent" breed that could impact the health of humans.

As per The Mirror's report, some 95% of mice and 78% of rats are now able to tolerate the poison. The type of poison they can live through is a pesticide that keeps the blood from clotting, so the rodent would eventually bleed to death.

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Dr. Alan Buckle is an expert on the subject who spoke about the genetic upgrade in rodents that makes this possible. He claims that the gene could actually affect the health of humans and animals.

According to the CornwallLive, he went on to say: "Continued use of anticoagulant rodenticides against resistant rats or mice has serious downsides." Dr. Buckle spoke about these rodents that can survive the poison but may carry residue to other animals that could be eaten.

One of the reasons why this may be an ongoing problem is because people try to treat an infestation of rodents themselves. The British Pest Control Association spoke about the spread of these super rats and how people treating the problem is probably making it worse.

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According to The Sun, the BCPA said: "The rodents have become resistant and, in some cases, immune to off-the-shelf poisons to the point where they're actually feeding off the toxic pellets, which means their size and strength is increasing."

Although they say that stronger rodenticides could work, they should only be used by professionals in the industry.

They went on to explain that normal rats are killed off by the poison and resistant rats are stepping into their place. It's natural for their numbers to expand in this way, but the threat to public health is significant if something isn't done about it.