Saturday, April 23, 2016

Automated Artificial Skin Sweat Kills Mosquitoes Dead


Liberian warlord General Mosquito perhaps, not sure, maybe General Butt Naked

Let us for a moment recall that Vice episode on Liberia where we met the most fearsome of all warlords, General Mosquito, named after the deadly killers that terrorize the local population, and his arch-nemesis, General Mosquito Killer, who made himself invincible to his enemies by eating kids before a battle, although not necessarily microcephalic kids.

Now, in humans’ never ending battle against the seemingly non-threatening creatures that live here on Earth with us, we have reached new heights.

Ingenious people in Brazil made a wall that secretes a human sweat analogue and exhales human breath. Mosquitoes smell this sweaty signal of blood-pumping meatbodies, and they attack. It’s basically a mouse trap, but instead of cheese, it’s…well, I wonder if the artificial sweaty skin wall eventually develops cheese if it isn’t washed properly.

A couple things to mention and consider: what if these mosquito-traps bring extra pests to a populated place where they would otherwise not have gone to, making the problem worse?

And then also, what does this thing actually smell like? Although it does emit the same volatile compounds as your sweaty commuter-friend’s t-shirt, they won’t have to be anywhere near the amount required for humans to perceive it. And lastly, before you get any ideas, don’t forget that a flat surface is the best way to evaporate stuff, so a fake sweaty person standing on the corner would not have the same effect.

Post Script:
-see the Biologist who made edible cheese out of Michael Pollan’s stomach sweat

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