Why are Mosquitos So Obsessed with Me?

Рет қаралды 14,539

10 ай бұрын

If you feel like mosquitos flock to you over everyone else at the barbecue… you’re not imagining it. Some of us really do attract mosquitos more than others, based on the chemicals exuded from our skin. What are they, how did scientists figure it out, and how can you outsmart them anyways?
#mosquito #chemistry
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Credits:
Executive Producer:
Matthew Radcliff
Producers:
Elaine Seward
Andrew Sobey
Darren Weaver
Writer/Host:
Alex Dainis
Scientific Consultants:
Michelle Boucher, Ph.D.
Leila Duman, Ph.D.
Leslie Vosshall, Ph.D.
….
Executive in Charge for PBS: Maribel Lopez
Director of Programming for PBS: Gabrielle Ewing
Assistant Director of Programming for PBS: John Campbell
Reactions is a production of the American Chemical Society.
© 2023 American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.
Sources:
• How Mosquitoes Use Six...
www.sciencedirect.com/science...
ashpublications.org/blood/art...
journals.plos.org/plosntds/ar...
www.britannica.com/story/why-...
linkinghub.elsevier.com/retri...
www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0...
www.cell.com/current-biology/...
www.acs.org/molecule-of-the-w...
doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2018.1...

Пікірлер: 93

@ACSReactions 10 ай бұрын

Unofficial, absolutely not scientific experiment: Are you a mosquito magnet? We (Alex, just Alex…) want to know if a love of chemistry KZfaq correlates with mosquito attraction. Let us know and we (Alex…) will tally the results!

@punkdigerati 10 ай бұрын

I'm a mosquito magnet

@TheThagenesis 10 ай бұрын

certainly no scientifically proven answer, but I feel like I was one as a kid and it isn't the case anymore

@nickvorobey2985 10 ай бұрын

I am a mosquito magnet (( When I'm in the forest, I can't hear any bird because of their squeak... But I like biology more than chemistry) Thanks for interesting video! 🤩

@metagoat 10 ай бұрын

Mosquitos like me but I'm not a magnet.

@zooks527 10 ай бұрын

Absolutely. Without question. As is my daughter.

@DanielDogeanu 10 ай бұрын

Alex, you just found the perfect way to keep the mosquitos away: just tell them you're making an experiment! Guaranteed results! 100%! 🤣

@ACSReactions 10 ай бұрын

It's so true

@AlexDainisPhD 10 ай бұрын

I tried *multiple locations on multiple days* and nothing. I even went camping for four days and made portable versions of the traps and still nothing. Not a one! Just gonna yell about mosquito experiments every time I'm in the woods now.

@DanielDogeanu 10 ай бұрын

@@AlexDainisPhD You forgot a crucial ingredient for those traps: yourself! 😂

@ireallyreallyhategoogle 10 ай бұрын

@@ACSReactions The most effective mosquito repellant is four jars of dry ice in four purple paper bags, one with DEET, one with Citronella and one with Eucalyptus.

@BRUXXUS 10 ай бұрын

I love that you came up with an experiment to implement and test. Sad that it didn’t work, but look on the bright side, you may have just discovered that purple paper bags are the most effective mosquito repellent ever!

@bgezal 10 ай бұрын

I'm a bit of a mosquito magnet too and just the sound of a mosquito makes my skin itch, like a Pavlovian response.

@LauraPazzaglia 10 ай бұрын

I am a former mosquito magnet. I started taking a Vitamin B complex (as I need to due to a MTHFR chromosome anomalie) and I literally do not get bit anymore. I used to be devoured and be covered in bites. Now I get maybe one bite per summer. I would say to check with your doctor if you have a vitamin B deficiency or a reason to supplement and then go for it! BTW, I have had the most success with a prolonged-release Vitamin B complex supplement. Ciao from Italy! L

@user-hq4jz6lc9d 3 ай бұрын

Very often it seems the comment section is even more valuable than the video.

@mastershooter64 10 ай бұрын

"I attract so many females" is a valid statement then :D well female mosquitos at least

@Crowley9393 10 ай бұрын

...silver lining to every cloud... I guess? 🤷🏻‍♂️😂

@hardwareful 10 ай бұрын

now that's a reason for "physical violence against females" I can get behind

@DenisSolaro 10 ай бұрын

That diagram of a feeding mosquito made me realize that a giant mosquito, say 2m long, would be great at lockpicking with those rake like tools in their probosci. Off to the lab to grow one !! muahaha

@giovane_Diaz 10 ай бұрын

when you landed 250 unique views in lpl channel and are starting to concoct automomus picking beasts

@metagoat 10 ай бұрын

I asked chatGPT to write a LPL episode about opening a padlock using a 2m long mosquito with sawtooth proboscis and now I just need to put this whole internet thing down for a while.

@DenisSolaro 10 ай бұрын

Oh my life, what have we created???!! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I'll never dabble in evil sciences again. Well, at least for a week.

@DenisSolaro 10 ай бұрын

Mosley the Mozzie?! [Opening Scene: The Lockpicking Lawyer is standing in his workshop, surrounded by various locks and tools. He addresses the camera.] Lockpicking Lawyer: Welcome back, lock enthusiasts! Today, we have an intriguing challenge ahead of us. I received a message from a viewer who asked if it's possible to open a padlock using a rather unconventional tool-a 2-meter long mosquito with a sawtooth proboscis. Now, as always, I strongly advise against using any unauthorized methods to open locks. But since this request piqued my curiosity, I've decided to investigate. Let's see if we can find a solution that stays within the realm of legality. [The Lockpicking Lawyer picks up a padlock and examines it closely.] Lockpicking Lawyer: This here is a standard padlock, nothing too special. It features a shrouded shackle and a traditional pin tumbler mechanism. Our task is to bypass the lock without using any destructive methods. So, without further ado, let's bring in our trusty mosquito companion! [Cut to a close-up shot of a mosquito (computer-generated imagery) with an elongated proboscis, equipped with tiny saw-like teeth.] Lockpicking Lawyer: Meet Mosley, our special mosquito friend with a sawtooth proboscis. Now, using a mosquito for lock picking is highly unconventional and not something I endorse, but we'll examine the principles at play here. [The Lockpicking Lawyer places the padlock in a vise to keep it steady.] Lockpicking Lawyer: The first challenge is getting Mosley into the lock. Now, this padlock is designed to prevent unauthorized access, so its keyway is relatively small. However, Mosley's proboscis is incredibly slim and flexible, which might give us an advantage. [The Lockpicking Lawyer carefully maneuvers Mosley towards the keyway of the padlock.] Lockpicking Lawyer: Patience is key here. It's important to align the proboscis with the pins inside the lock cylinder. If we can mimic the action of traditional lock picking, there's a chance Mosley's proboscis can engage the pins and manipulate them. [The camera zooms in to show a detailed shot of Mosley's proboscis gently maneuvering inside the lock.] Lockpicking Lawyer: Mosley is delicately moving its proboscis inside the lock, attempting to reach the pins. The goal is to apply slight pressure to the pins, just like we would with a traditional lock pick, in order to set them into the correct position. [After a few moments, Mosley manages to manipulate the pins successfully.] Lockpicking Lawyer: Incredible! Against all odds, Mosley has successfully manipulated the pins inside the lock! Now, let's see if we can turn the plug and unlock this padlock. [The Lockpicking Lawyer carefully rotates the padlock's plug using a tool.] Lockpicking Lawyer: With the pins set, we now need to rotate the plug. Remember, this process requires precision and finesse to avoid damaging the lock. [The padlock's shackle pops open, indicating that it has been successfully picked.] Lockpicking Lawyer: And just like that, Mosley, the extraordinary mosquito, has unlocked our padlock! While this experiment was fascinating, I cannot emphasize enough that using a mosquito-or any living creature-for lock picking is unethical, impractical, and quite frankly, absurd. It's crucial to respect the boundaries of legality and engage in lock picking responsibly. [The Lockpicking Lawyer removes the padlock from the vise and holds it up to the camera.] Lockpicking Lawyer: Remember, folks, I'm here to educate and entertain, but always within the confines of the law. Lock picking is a skill that should be used responsibly, only in legal and ethical circumstances. So, until next time, stay curious and stay legal. Thanks for watching! [The Lockpicking Lawyer smiles at the camera as the scene fades out.]

@michaelogden5958 7 ай бұрын

😮 Your ACS logo made me shudder the first time I saw one of your videos. It reminded me of college Organic Chemistry circa 1975, where the course final was an "official" ACS exam. OC was never my thing and taking an ACS OC exam as a final was terrifying. Interesting videos! I'm glad I ran across them.

@chrism9017 10 ай бұрын

To be fair, there are a lot of eucalyptus trees in So Cal, maybe they were emitting more eucalyptol than usual, jamming the mosquitos' little meal sensors.

@PK1312 10 ай бұрын

"a mosquito would bite me, no matter my pronouns" caught me so off guard i choked on the water i was drinking lmao

@bdr420i 10 ай бұрын

Your energy is amazing 💪🏽😅

@wekaku 10 ай бұрын

I always enjoy your posting, knowledge and easy to understand

@opalcolon4902 10 ай бұрын

DC metro area has a ridiculously large amount of mosquitoes and I am the person that is a magnet. I also am highly sensitive to their bites. It's the worst.

@Ttarler 10 ай бұрын

The IRB comment at the end 😂😂😂

@TheMaskedRacoon1 10 ай бұрын

Beautyberry plants repel mosquitoes. So if you can extract the Callicarpenal in it and purify it, you can make mosquito repellent out of it. DEET is cool though. Callicarpenal works nearly as well as DEET.

@coopergates9680 10 ай бұрын

Another option - establish some toxorhynchites mosquitoes, such as speciosus or rutilus. They don't bite us and eat the pesky disease-spreading ones in the larval stage (underwater).

@XSpImmaLion 10 ай бұрын

Oh noooo.... as a mosquito magnet myself, living in a tropical nation no less, I really wanted the traps to work. T_T It's fine though, one of these days we'll just find either a super repellant, which I'll slather myself in, and/or a super attractant, which I'll surely make traps with. I've tried a few myself, including the bottle with vinegar and baking soda for CO2, and a few other stuff, but it never worked quite right for me. I've also been looking for plants that definitely work to repeal mosquitoes, but didn't find a definite answer just yet. Different people swear by different stuff and I don't want to turn my tiny apartment into a jungle. :P

@ireallyreallyhategoogle 10 ай бұрын

Bats, the best solution is bats. They can eat tons of mosquitoes. Just built bat houses and make sure to attract as many non-mosquito insects for them to feed on when they are done eating all the mosquitoes.

@TheMaskedRacoon1 10 ай бұрын

You can use beautyberry plants to repel mosquitoes. The Callicarpenal in the plant is proven to work nearly as well as DEET. If you can extract it and then make mosquito repellent out of it, you will do great.

@maxmusterman3371 10 ай бұрын

For some reason i seem to be (not?) immune to our local mosquito bites. They do not itch or swell at all for me. Only a smallish, red spot with sharp contour forms that lasts a couple days.

@tangerina4750 10 ай бұрын

7:42 i used to live on a street full of eucalyptus and we never had many mosquitoes tbh... So yeah , I'll be using eucalyptus candles this summer and see what happens..!

@lizbethtroche4007 9 ай бұрын

Cool video you are fun to watch 👍👏💪

@killian_reid 10 ай бұрын

Very interesting! It's crazy how some of us seem real tasty to them and others not. I'm normally someone who never gets bit, but I was a magnet when I was pregnant. This summer I've also had a lot of bites but I'm definitely not so i wonder what the difference is, or if its the bugs themself.

@roccocroce 7 ай бұрын

Alex is amazing.

@metamorphiczeolite 10 ай бұрын

Mosquitoes despise me. The feeling is mutual, even though I very seldom get bit. Bit? Stung? Slobbered on? Spat at? Ew. Another excellent episode - thanks!

@davham27 10 ай бұрын

They don't bother me that bad. I also don't get bumps or itchy after I get bit.

@ryanwaege7251 10 ай бұрын

It (your job) may be weird, but I am glad you do it. Hope this comment and thumbs is the one that garners the attention of our algorithmic overlord.

@AlexDainisPhD 10 ай бұрын

Thank you thank you. I'm glad I get to do it

@thisisbossi 5 ай бұрын

Also in DC and I'm so rarely targeted by mosquitos compared to those around me. While obviously not definitive this made me take notice that my shaving cream is strongly scented with eucalyptus oil ... and now I'm wondering if that might be the big reason why I seem to escape their attention.

@SNAB1987 10 ай бұрын

Just say we got the good stuff😎💪🏾

@rgruenhaus 10 ай бұрын

Hall's lemon menthol eucalyptus drops time!

@johnford7847 10 ай бұрын

Your job IS weird...but wonderful! Interesting presentation. Thank you.

@LuLa_41 4 ай бұрын

As someone who is a mosquito magnet AND allergic to their bites (skeeter syndrome) this video makes me not look forward to summer

@allo1824 10 ай бұрын

I can't remember the last time I had a mosquito bite. It's been that many years.

@Adam-qs5ir 10 ай бұрын

Picaridin works great

@TheTrogolizer 8 ай бұрын

I wonder if fleas and ticks are motivated by a similar chemical attraction. Video on that perhaps?

@YoJesusMorales 10 ай бұрын

Why can I sometimes feel them stinging before they have gotten their fill? Is it the serrated probosces damaged or something? It doesn't leave an itchy swell yet, so it can't be the spit. Or there can be an experience factor too because usually, it isn't the really big ones that I notice.

@KingLutherQ 7 ай бұрын

I wonder if soda would attract mosquitoes (Carboxilic --> carbonic ---> CO2 )

@Celticelery 10 ай бұрын

The best way to not get bitten by mosquitoes is to never leave the house. 100% foolproof plan.

@williamreilly5469 9 ай бұрын

Like they never come in a house...

@user-pc2hh8wg3w 10 ай бұрын

I'm surprised that the hosts reaction itself is not considered. That is, that people who are morenproje to allergic reaction will respond more strongly to the bite, i.e. itchier, redder etc. There are known things that alter mast cells, for example hypoglycemia and vitamin D levels (also affect immunity). So maybe the mosquitoes are biting others present in the same room as you - they just don't feel/react like the one person that does.

@LuLa_41 4 ай бұрын

To elaborate on this, people with severe immune reactions have whats called the Skeeter syndrome. As a sufferer myself (and also a magnet for them sadly), whats a minor itchy inconvenience for some is a plate sized, swollen, and mostly painful-itchy lump for us with skeeters.

@user-pc2hh8wg3w 3 ай бұрын

@@LuLa_41 That's just another name for low metabolic function / hypothyroidism, as histamine rises then. Bringing my D levels up has helped with all my allergies.

@KiloOscarZulu 10 ай бұрын

I guess Alex needs to go on a strict diet of koala meat and see if she becomes a mosquito repellent.

@Pies_By_Arvid 9 ай бұрын

So how does one wash away the carboxylic acids? Is there a skin-safe base that would neutralize them like baking soda? Would carboxylic acid reductase work, or are the resulting aldehydes what the mosquitos are actually attracted to? My wife is a mosquito magnet and I would love to be able too help her out, WITH SCIENCE!

@kyokoyumi 10 ай бұрын

So wear eucalyptus oil all summer. Got it.

@rodneyblair515 10 ай бұрын

I was always told o+ blood it's what they love and they love me that's what I got

@danieloehler2494 9 ай бұрын

it's nothing personal. They are just hungry.

@TheVocoderGuy 10 ай бұрын

2:35 I mean if you're 160lbs you'd be 29,028,000 times bigger than a mosquito

@tfofurn 10 ай бұрын

Mosquitoes make a bee line to you? What kind of line do bees make to you? 😊

10 ай бұрын

ahahahaha lovely testing with those very interested human subjects

@johnnydoe3603 10 ай бұрын

It’s your Own Body Signalling to the Mosquitoes, to put you out of your Misery. 😅

@williamreilly5469 9 ай бұрын

I take garlic pills...it definitely helps

@SeekingTheLoveThatGodMeans7648 9 ай бұрын

Skeeters think you smell good, eh.

@N8DE420 10 ай бұрын

Mosquito is known to be the Minnesota state bird. Come on, check them out.

@jasonburguess 10 ай бұрын

Make mosquitoes extinct!

@heidigilmore4543 10 ай бұрын

😌 Promo sm

@IIIIIawesIIIII 7 ай бұрын

Cause you're a buttoneye cutiepie

@AndrewMellor-darkphoton 10 ай бұрын

hi three

@Rick-da-scale 10 ай бұрын

It’s because you don’t smoke. I am a heavy smoker and mosquitoes will buzz but will not bite me, and I’m sure it’s because of the nicotine in the bloodstream. For all the Smarties that will say I will die from smoking anyway, I say that 76 years old is not a bad innings, and I’m still going.