New Compound Can Makes Humans Invisible to Mosquitos

[DJ_KiDDvIcIOUs]

It's a breakthrough in the fight against disease-carrying mosquitoes. Researchers have found a chemical that disables the part of the insect's brain that smells humans. Future bug repellents based on the compounds could give people an invisibility cloak against the winged pests. We talked to a scientist who worked on the discovery to find out more.
There are three main ways that mosquitoes zero in on their targets. The strongest mosquito attractant is carbon dioxide (CO2), which the insects can detect from a distance of up to 20 to 30 meters. "The reason mosquitoes and other blood-feeding insects have evolved to detect CO2 is because every living vertebrate is going to produce a lot of CO2 as turbulent plumes," said Anandasankar Ray, an entomologist at the University of California, Riverside. "It doesn't just dissipate; the prevailing wind will carry it almost like cigarette smoke gets carried away."


At closer range, mosquitoes can sense different odors that are emitted from the skin (human skin odor is mostly the byproduct of skin microbes, which break down sweat to produce smelly volatiles). Finally, mosquitoes can detect body heat. Some research has also suggested that mosquitoes are attracted to certain blood types, which may be mediated by different odor molecules, but the evidence for this idea is not robust, Ray told io9.

Pretty cool, full article at the link


http://io9.com/a-chemical-compound-that-makes-humans-invisible-to-mo-1477489461

 

[Ant-manic]

we need a compound that makes us poisonous to mosquitoes.

 

[The Shape]

Pretty cool, full article at the link


http://io9.com/a-chemical-compound-that-makes-humans-invisible-to-mo-1477489461

On a scale of 1-10, how much do you love starting threads based on random news articles every day?

 

[DJ_KiDDvIcIOUs]

I'd go with a solid 9, 10 if I win the community category for the 2013 Hype awards

 

[The Shape]

I'd go with a solid 9, 10 if I win the community category for the 2013 Hype awards

And you shall! You've already been nominated by many. Keep up the very persistent work.

One way I think you can make yourself even more of a lock is by creating a popular thread...that isn't based on a current event story.