logo
episode-header-image
Jun 2023
43m 12s

Why DO mosquitos bite some people more t...

Melissa and Jam, Bleav
About this episode

#163

We've talked about mosquitos many times around here, why they bite us, how they find us, how to prevent them from biting us, etc. One thing that's struck us is that research about some of those big questions is ongoing and always evolving. And we just came across some super new research about why mosquitos bite some people more than others, you won't want to miss this!

References from this episode

  1. https://www.thenakedscientists.com/articles/interviews/why-mosquitoes-prefer-some-people-others
  2. https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2023/the-chemistry-of-mosquito-attraction
  3. https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(23)00532-8
  4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24831245/
  5. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/chemistry/1-8-cineole
Thanks to our monthly supporters
  • Ciara Linville
  • J0HNTR0Y
  • Jeannette Napoleon
  • Cullyn R
  • Erica Bee
  • Elizabeth P
  • Sarah Moar
  • Rachel Reina
  • Letila
  • Katrina Barnum-Huckins
  • Suzanne Phillips
  • Nelly Silva
  • Venus Rebholz
  • Lyn Stubblefield
  • Jacob Taber
  • Brian Kimball
  • Emerson Woodhall
  • Kristina Gotfredsen
  • Timothy Parker
  • Steven Boyles
  • Chris Skupien
  • Chelsea B
  • Bri McAllister
  • Avishai Barnoy
  • Hunter Reardon
★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Check out our website at chemforyourlife.com

Watch our episodes on YouTube

Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @ChemForYourLife.

Want to start your own podcast? Use Transistor and you'll have the best podcast platform available. We use it and we are totally in love with it.

 

Up next
Jul 10
What is the chemistry of film photography?
Melissa and Jam delve into the fascinating chemistry behind film photography. They reminisce about their childhood experiences with analog cameras and discuss the shift to digital cameras. Melissa, a chemist, explains the complex chemical processes involved in capturing and devel ... Show More
55m 28s
Jul 3
What gives curly hair its curl?
#027 Rebroadcast Originally Published January 23, 2020 This week, Melissa and Jam dive into the chemistry of something that may not seem like chemistry at first: hair. Curly hair to be specific. What makes hair curl? Also what is hair in the first place? Why can hair be so radica ... Show More
28m 18s
Jun 26
Are organic vegetables healthier for you?
Melissa and Jam dive into the definition and implications of organic foods. They explore what organic means according to USDA standards, dissect common misconceptions about pesticide use, and discuss whether organic produce is actually healthier. This detailed analysis includes M ... Show More
57m 52s
Recommended Episodes
May 2020
BrainStuff Classics: Are Some People Immune to Mosquitoes?
Some people seem to attract tons of mosquito bites -- others, none at all. Learn what factors attract more mosquitoes -- and why they 'bite' us in the first place -- in this classic episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee ... Show More
6m 59s
Jun 2024
Culicidology (MOSQUITOES) Part 2 with Fhallon Ware-Gilmore
Part 2 of mosquitoes is here! Now that you know WHY they would like to eat you mosquito expert and Culicidologist, Dr. Fhallon Ware-Gilmore of the CDC gives us SOLUTIONS. How do we avoid bites? Why do they itch so much? Which repellents are safe for whom? What should you use in y ... Show More
1h 5m
May 2024
The Magic of Chemistry with Kate the Chemist
What is chemistry? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comedian Chuck Nice take fan questions on exothermic reactions, PFAS, ice cream, sugar, fire, and more with Kate Biberdorf, aka Kate the Chemist.NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here:  https://sta ... Show More
42m 58s
Jan 2024
Our Little Stupid Bodies
Sometimes a seemingly silly question gets stuck in your craw and you can’t shake the feeling that something big lies behind it. We are constantly collecting these kinds of questions from our listeners, not to mention piling up a storehouse of our own “stupid” questions, as we lov ... Show More
55m 39s
Jun 2024
Should We Eradicate Mosquitoes?
Mosquitoes are common flying insect that inhabit all continents except Antarctica. There are over 3500 species of mosquitoes worldwide, but only somewhere between 6 and 9.3% bite humans and are disease vectors. That said, mosquitos are the deadliest animal on the planet, thanks t ... Show More
1h 11m
Jun 2024
Ep. 724: Summer (Science & Sci Fi) Reads
Astronomy Cast Ep. 724: Summer (Science & Sci Fi) ReadsFraser & Pamela list their favorite books! Take notes! It’s almost time for our summer hiatus. A time to catch up on all that reading. We’ll give you some book recommendations, and what we’re hoping to read during the summer. ... Show More
31m 11s
Feb 2024
A new kind of magnetism, and how smelly pollution harms pollinators
More than 200 materials could be “altermagnets,” and the impact of odiferous pollutants on nocturnal plant-pollinator interactions First up on the show this week, researchers investigate a new kind of magnetism. Freelance science journalist Zack Savitsky joins host Sarah Crespi t ... Show More
31m 21s