Scientists investigate how DEET confuses countless critters
DEET, thought to be the most effective insect repellent available, may not be an insect repellent at all.
DEET, thought to be the most effective insect repellent available, may not be an insect repellent at all.
Biotechnology
Sep 26, 2018
6
157
(PhysOrg.com) -- Imagine an insect repellant that not only is thousands of times more effective than DEET the active ingredient in most commercial mosquito repellants but also works against all types of insects, ...
Cell & Microbiology
May 9, 2011
22
0
(PhysOrg.com) -- A breakthrough by scientists at Cambridge University may terminate the threat of termites, cockroaches and other pests such as ants and locusts - responsible for billions of pounds worth of damage to homes, ...
Plants & Animals
Oct 13, 2009
5
0
The active ingredient in many insect repellents, deet, has been found to be toxic to the central nervous system. Researchers writing in the open access journal BMC Biology say that more investigations are urgently needed ...
Plants & Animals
Aug 5, 2009
9
0
If you're outside enjoying the spring sunshine, then chances are, ticks are too. However, new research from Simon Fraser University (SFU) suggests the use of ant pheromones as a topical repellent, or as an environmental barrier, ...
Ecology
Apr 11, 2024
0
86
Mosquitoes spread several diseases, among them malaria and dengue virus. In 2020, about 241 million cases of malaria occurred worldwide, with a few more million cases occurring in 2021. Nearly half the world's population ...
Plants & Animals
Jan 9, 2023
1
68
A new type of insect-repellent delivery device has been developed by scientists from the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU). With the help of a 3D printer, the active ingredient is first "encapsulated" and formed ...
Biochemistry
Oct 11, 2022
0
839
In what they call surprise findings, Johns Hopkins Medicine scientists report that unlike those in fruit flies, mosquitoes' odor sensing nerve cells shut down when those cells are forced to produce odor-related proteins, ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 16, 2022
0
49
Compounds derived from coconut oil are better than DEET at repelling blood-sucking insects, according to a new U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) study.
Biochemistry
Nov 1, 2018
0
3146
Insect repellents containing picaridin can be lethal to salamanders. So reports a new study published today in Biology Letters that investigated how exposure to two common insect repellents influenced the survival of aquatic ...
Ecology
Oct 31, 2018
1
495