Why do mosquitoes seem to feast on some people while barely bothering others? It turns out your attractiveness to mosquitoes has much less to do with “sweet blood” than with your body chemistry, the carbon dioxide you exhale, and even your skin microbes. Understanding what really attracts mosquitoes can help you avoid becoming their favorite summertime meal. ⁠https://hartfordhealthcare.org/about-us/news-press/news-detail?articleId=42234&publicid=395#⁠ (more…)

If your porch light seems to attract every moth and flying insect in the neighborhood, you’re not imagining it. Scientists have finally figured out why artificial lights are so irresistible to many insects—and knowing what they’ve discovered can help you keep more bugs away this summer. ⁠https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-44785-3⁠ (more…)

Few foods are as American as the hamburger. Every year, Americans eat billions of them, and they are a staple at backyard barbecues, diners, ballparks, and restaurants around the world. Yet despite being one of the most recognizable foods on the planet, no one seems to agree on where the hamburger actually came from. (more…)

Take a look at your speedometer the next time you’re driving. Chances are, it’s lying to you. The speed you’re actually traveling is probably different from what the dashboard says—and that’s completely intentional. ⁠https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speedometer?utm⁠ (more…)

Can simply believing a treatment will work actually help it work better? Surprisingly, yes. Researchers have found that your expectations can have a powerful effect on how your body responds to medication—even when the treatment itself hasn’t changed. ⁠https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/placebo-effect⁠ (more…)