Do Mosquitoes Make Chocolate?
WouterAlmost one third of a cacao crop is lost to plant diseases every year. But if researchers could make a starter culture for chocolate beans, they could increase the amount of chocolate beans that factories receive from farmers and reduce the price of chocolate candies.
Mosquitoes are the primary vectors of disease in many areas. The diseases that they carry include yellow fever, malaria and West Nile virus. They can also bite humans and spread the disease.
One of the most deadly diseases is malaria, which kills almost 400 thousand people every year. Malaria continues to be a growing crisis in tropical and subtropical countries. But drugs can help protect against mosquito bites.
In Tanzania, 93% of the population is at risk of malaria. Many homes are tiny and lack screening. The entire family shares the sleeping quarters. But even in the largest homes, mosquitoes can enter.
Scientists have found that pregnant women attract twice as many mosquitoes as non-pregnant women. This is because pregnant women have a higher body temperature and exhale more carbon dioxide.
Mosquitoes also enjoy nesting in warm places. In the United States, there are 200 different species of mosquitoes. Each species has a different feeding strategy. Some feed during the day and others feed in the evening.
Mosquitoes are also attracted to certain scents. They are especially attracted to the scent of sweat. It is believed that drinking alcohol increases body temperature and makes the skin give off a chemical that attracts mosquitoes.
