There are two kinds of people at summer cookouts: those who are getting “eaten alive” by mosquitoes, and those who haven’t noticed a single bite. So why can some people enjoy their burgers in bliss while others unceasingly swat at exposed skin? According to a new study of twins, genetics partially explains how attractive we are to mosquito bites.
Over the years, scientists have shown that mosquitoes prefer some humans to others. Pregnant women, for example, are more attractive to mosquitoes than non-pregnant women. People who weigh more also tend to be favored targets. Previous studies have also shown that body odor influences our attractiveness to mosquitoes. Building upon this insight, scientists wanted to see if there might be an underlying genetic component that makes some people smell tastier to mosquitoes than others.
Scientists recruited 18 identical and 19 non-identical female twin pairs that were willing to offer their blood ...
