Mosquito-spreading drones could slash the spread of disease

If you’re trying to disperse 300,000 disease-fighting mosquitos per day, using a drone may well be your best bet for doing so. The technology has already been tested in Brazil, where it showed very promising results.Continue ReadingCategory: Drones, Te… Continue reading Mosquito-spreading drones could slash the spread of disease

Natural treatment could make you almost invisible to mosquito bites

Mosquitoes are responsible for around 350 million human illnesses every year, with the number sure to increase as climate change bolsters the disease-carrying insect’s numbers. A recent study even showed how another human impact, light pollution, may b… Continue reading Natural treatment could make you almost invisible to mosquito bites

Increasing human footprint influences spread of insect-borne diseases

Much of the Earth has been modified by humans, which has a flow-on effect on natural ecosystems, including the insects that carry disease. For the first time, researchers have examined when and how environmental change affects the transmission of insec… Continue reading Increasing human footprint influences spread of insect-borne diseases

Blood-filled synthetic skin spares human volunteers itchy bites

In an effort to understand and help combat insect-borne diseases, many a human has sacrificed an arm in a tank full of mosquitos. Now, thanks to a new artificial skin impregnated with real blood, researchers might be able to spare humans the itchy bite… Continue reading Blood-filled synthetic skin spares human volunteers itchy bites

How viruses can change your body odor to attract mosquitoes

An international team of researchers has discovered an incredible way some viruses can alter the smell of their host in order to attract mosquitoes and spread to the next person. The study revealed Dengue and Zika viruses can alter a host’s skin microb… Continue reading How viruses can change your body odor to attract mosquitoes

Dengue virus vaccine candidate shows promise in mouse tests

Researchers at the University of Queensland (UQ) have developed a new vaccine candidate for dengue virus, a notoriously tricky pathogen to deal with. The new candidate has a number of advantages over existing treatments, with tests on mice using micron… Continue reading Dengue virus vaccine candidate shows promise in mouse tests

Cheap And Effective Mosquito Trap Looks Like A Disco

Words cannot quite articulate the collective loathing humankind has for mosquitoes, and rightfully so! These parasite peddling, blood sucking little critters are responsible for a great deal of human suffering. Mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria still account for a significant proportion of human mortality, especially in under-developed parts of the …read more

Continue reading Cheap And Effective Mosquito Trap Looks Like A Disco

Eradicating Mosquitoes from Your Backyard — with Seltzer?

Q: What do you call 8000 dead mosquitoes in a Mason jar?

A: A good start. And [Dan Rojas]’s low-tech mosquito trap accomplished the feat in two nights with nothing fancier than a fan and a bottle of seltzer.

We know what you’re thinking: Where’s the hack? Why not at least use a laser sentry gun to zap skeeters on the fly? We agree that [Dan]’s mosquito trap, consisting of a powerful fan to create suction and a piece of window screen to catch the hapless bloodsuckers, is decidedly low-tech. But you can’t argue with results. Unless he’s fudging the …read more

Continue reading Eradicating Mosquitoes from Your Backyard — with Seltzer?