| ■ Could Smelly Feet Be a Weapon Against Malaria? | 2011.07.15 |
| Mosquito netting and bug spray are common weapons in Africa's fight against deadly malaria, but researchers now have identified another contender: smelly feet. In a new project funded by the Gates Foundation, scientists will use foot odor to lure disease-carrying mosquitoes to a trap where they will be poisoned, the Associated Press reported Thursday. If successful, the project could lead to development of mosquito traps for widespread use outside the home, the news agency said. It was actually a Dutch scientist who discovered the mosquitoes' fondness for feet, he said. Supposedly, the Dutchman undressed in an unlit room and then observed where he was bitten. Each year, more than 220 million new cases of malaria occur worldwide and almost 800,000 deaths, the AP reported. |