Using a lure made from a blend of eight chemicals that mimic the odor of smelly socks, a researcher in Tanzania recently built a trap to attract and kill mosquitoes. It turns out that human foot odor is irresistible to them.
In Tanzania, mosquitoes aren't just a nuisance, they also transmit malaria, a disease that takes the lives of almost 800,000 each year, most of them children in Africa.
The researcher recently received a $750,000 grant to try to develop an affordable trap using his newfound knowledge. Dubbed the “Smelly Socks Project,” it could signal a breakthrough in what has been a long battle in the fight against malaria in Africa.
Read more: Scientists: Stinky sock smell helps fight malaria.
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4 comments:
Is that where my other socks are always going? Do mosquitos steal them?
If the answer lies in something as common as foot odor,I am thrilled that someone made the connection.I just confirms to me that when solving a problem no theory should be overlooked.
Maree said - Love this.
This explains why I always seem to get the most bites on my feet!
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