Search


	Podcast:		UC Science Today
	Episode:		A patch that may serve as an invisibility cloak against mosquitoes
	Category:		Science & Medicine
	Duration:		00:01:02
	Publish Date:		2016-02-17 00:00:00
	Description:		A potential way to prevent the spread of mosquito-borne diseases like the Zika virus and malaria might be by manipulating receptors in a mosquito’s ‘nose’.* Entomologist Anandasankar Ray of the University of California, Riverside says his lab is working to make humans essentially invisible to a mosquito’ sense of smell. "Mosquitos use carbon dioxide to navigate towards human beings from a distance. So the idea always has been that perhaps, if we could find small odors that could block the carbon dioxide machinery in the mosquito we may be able to reduce their ability to find us." Ray’s lab did find such odors. And now, their research has led to the development of a wearable patch that is currently being tested for consumer use. "And so I am hopeful that this approach will perhaps not only help protect us in our backyard barbeques, but also help have an impact on malaria, in Africa." * in this case, 'nose' = antennae
	Total Play:		0