New Insect Repellent is 'Thousands of Times' More Effective than DEET
Researchers at Vanderbilt looking for better ways to control the spread of malaria have stumbled across an insect repellent that is thousands of times stronger than DEET. But it doesn't just work to confuse malaria-carrying mosquitoes. This new compound works against all insects, including flies, ants, and moths. The compound known as VUAA1 was borne of recent discoveries about the fundamental way that mosquitoes smell. Just a few years ago, it was thought that the basic sniffing mechanism for mosquitoes was very similar to that of mammals--that is, that odorant receptors (ORs) sitting atop nerve cells are tuned to different molecules, and when a receptor comes in contact with its target molecule it notifies the brain via the nerve. Related ArticlesGenetically Engineered Mosquitoes Are 100 Percent Resistant to Malaria ParasiteScience Wages War Against Mosquitoes: Genetic Engineering, Lasers, and Nano-AttacksFor The First Time, Genetically Engineered Mosquitoes Are Released Into The WildTagsScience, Clay Dillow,...