Why Mosquitoes Bite Some People More Than Others
9,955,840
Published 2018-02-07
This video is sponsored by 23andMe 23andme.com/veritasium
Huge thanks to Prof. Immo Hansen and team: ve42.co/hansen
References:
Genome Wide Association Study for self-reported mosquito attractiveness:
ve42.co/MossieGWAS
The twin study showing correlated attractiveness is stronger for identical twins:
ve42.co/MossieTwins
Some things we know make mosquitoes more attracted to you:
Exercising, higher metabolism, higher body temperature, more body odor, being pregnant, type O blood, infrequent bathing, lactic acid, ammonia, acetone.
There are a number of folk remedies people believe protect them from mosquito bites like drinking alcohol, eating garlic, or taking vitamin B. These do not appear to provide any benefit in lab studies and in fact drinking alcohol is associated with increased mosquito activity because it causes blood vessels near the surface of the skin to dilate.
And apparently some of your attractiveness to mosquitos is simply genetic. This may be mediated through your immune system, which is what a lot of the genes identified were associated with.
Molecular models are microSnatoms: snatoms.com
Filming in New Mexico by Raquel Nuno
Animations by Jacqui Robertson
The opinions and conclusions drawn in this video are those of Veritasium and not 23andMe.
All Comments (21)
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“Don’t bite the hand that feeds you” Mosquito: but I...
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As a professional mosquito I can confirm everything is true
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The ultimate non toxic mosquito repellant is cloves mixed in ordinary cooking oil. Olive or rapeseed oil. Mix the powdered cloves in oil, let stand for a few days, filter the clove powder out, and apply the oil. Tested and proven in Finnish midsummer with a lot of bloodthisrty mosquitoes. One got as close as one inch from my arm when it got the scent and braked and got away.
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From this video, I learned that you can become an expert in any field you love. I didn't knew that there is a dedicated study for mosquitoes.
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Mosquitos be like: “It’s your scent. It's like a drug to me. It's like you're my own personal brand of heroin.” -Edward
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I can’t believe that dude sticks his hand in the enclosure of mosquitoes to let them bite him, that’s just another level of insanity in my opinion.
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Very interesting and correct. My wife grew up in Tanzania and she has never had malaria. Mosquitoes hardly bother her. I lived in Tanzania for 12 years and had malaria at least a dozen times or more. Mosquitoes cannot leave me alone
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Years ago, I took my family and my brothers family on a camping trip to Fire Island one summer. Out of 8 of us all but my 2nd son Calvin was eaten alive by mosquitos. Calvin had 2 bite marks at the end of the trip while the rest of us was covered in bite marks. We all ate the same food used the same soaps same gene pool. We still talk about how weird that was when we get together in the summer time.
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I hate mosquitoes with a passion. I can't go outside for 5 minutes without being bitten. As an example, my dad and sister were outside for an hour working on gutter cleaning. Neither were bitten. I stepped outside for 5 minutes (not exaggerating)... 4 or 5 bites. Example two, my brother and I were outside standing in place next to each other for 15 minutes. In that time, I was bitten exactly 9 times and my brother only once.
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When I saw that room of mosquitoes I was like: BURN IT DOWN.
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My mom and I are completely ignored by mosquitoes and we both have chronic illnesses that mess with our body regulation in various ways, including making us barely sweat at all and have cold skin. We always thought that was why we never get bitten even when my dad and sister are attacked, so the scientist making note to rub your hands together to stimulate warmth/oils on your skin really stood out to me
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That explains a lot of things. Also, I react so badly to any bug bites. Like within a minute or two, one mosquito bite can grow to be 4-5 cm wide! It's so itchy, hard and warm to the touch as well.
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ok but can we talk about how that professor literally 'feeds his mosquito himself' for his research and stuff?? that's some next level commitment imagine how he itches everyday;,, i salute this man
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I get bitten so often. Most of the time, anyone who's with me aren't even aware that there's a mosquito around because I'm the only one who's getting bitten. They won't even believe me sometimes ☹
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"Life's journey is fraught with shadows and trials. Each step you take shapes the darkness within."
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I could be around people that say they get attacked often by mosquitoes but when I'm around they only attack me.
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1:13 "I'm getting about 25 bites now" Is this man a hero or a psychopath?
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“They are the most dangerous animal in the world.” He says this as he continues to feed and breed them himself.
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Mosquitoes bite me more than anyone I know... and I am pretty allergic to them. Even wearing OFF, they circle around me in a big cloud while ignoring my family. When they bite me, I get huge welts that take a couple of weeks to heal.. Usually I scratch so much I end up with scabs all over the place. :(
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Great video, I've always wondered why I get attacked by misquotes so much more than most people. I hate them enough I'm almost willing to move someone different for less of them.
