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New mosquito sprays better than DEET watch!

sciencentral.com — DEET is the most widely used mosquito repellent for the last five decades. So isn't it time scientists discovered a better one? Chemists have published new research could bring us a better bug spray. BONUS: video of creepy mosquito tank experiments.

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  • Jasper710, on 05/28/2008, -2/+20looks like it works a whole lot better. Does it also give me cancer?
    • BigManOnCampus, on 05/28/2008, -5/+15I heard from the media that now water causes cancer, so yes.
  • pitchblack16, on 05/28/2008, -6/+1maybe if you bathe in it, give it a try.
  • sterntastic223, on 05/28/2008, -9/+3I DEET eet.
  • Rubab, on 05/28/2008, -8/+2hee this story id for the tropical countries..
  • Lagger, on 05/28/2008, -0/+32"its safety on skin is still unknown."
    • senorcool, on 05/28/2008, -0/+5haha i was thinking that. a lighter and an aerosol can also repel mosquitoes, but of course it is not safe on our skin.
      • EBFoxbat, on 05/28/2008, -0/+4Let's be honest, long term it'll be difficult to be worse than DEET.
    • LilCarrots, on 05/28/2008, -0/+3"The research so far predicts good repellency and safety." And now they will do more tests. This is how science works.
  • philodygmn, on 05/28/2008, -0/+3http://www.serftosurf.com/adios.htm
    ^
    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently reported that oil of lemon eucalyptus (PMD is the active ingredient) is one of only three products (DEET, picaridin, and PMD) recommended to protect against West Nile virus, a serious virus spread by mosquitoes that can cause neurological disease or even death.(5) The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lists PMD as effective against mosquitoes, biting flies, and gnats.
    ^

    More at:
    http://www.ahcpub.com/hot_topics/?htid=1&httid=134 ...
    • ajkrik, on 05/30/2008, -0/+1I've had West Nile fever and you are only promoting the fear-based hype. There are MUCH nastier things spread by mosquitoes.
  • curseoflou, on 05/28/2008, -11/+2great... another chemical insects will adapt 2.
    • masterm1nd, on 05/28/2008, -1/+15Come one, it's a two letter word, just frickin type it.
      • curseoflou, on 05/28/2008, -8/+1sorry dude. i didn't know u were a sufferer of Numerophobia.
        • Markpdotcom, on 05/28/2008, -0/+5It seems you're suffering from a case of the diggdownitus!
  • johndajap56, on 05/28/2008, -5/+2ya tell me when it actually works...on skin
  • variablek, on 05/28/2008, -2/+3the images of all the mosquitos on his arm makes my skin crawl.

    did anyone else start itching after watching this?
  • KingGorilla, on 05/28/2008, -7/+3why would a mosquito spray? and what makes it better than deet?
  • brianoh, on 05/28/2008, -9/+11how the hell did this make the front page? i don't understand, so this report is telling us that they're looking for a newer, better alternative to traditional mosquito repellent we've been using? you make the front page if you found something that will be commercially available soon, not for telling us that "they're working on it."

    STUPID.
    • Markpdotcom, on 05/28/2008, -0/+1To me, it looks like some of the more obvious paid advertising. Buried as such!
    • WallsOfPeril, on 05/28/2008, -0/+10Reporting a major advance is not "STUPID" -- but failing to recognize it as such is IGNORANT. Nothing has proved to be better than DEET for 50+ years. These chemists used a sophisticated computer database to tease out novel chemicals or combinations of chemicals that might work better. When they tested them, the results were hugely promising, not just for one new chemical, but for several. You don't get published in PNAS for "working on it" -- you get in for doing something significant.
      So it's not "news" if you can't go into Walmart and buy it tomorrow? Impatience is one thing, ignorance is another.
      • brianoh, on 05/28/2008, -0/+1Wait, what major advancement? They reported testing the already known chemicals that repel mosquitos, not making major advancements. Being a retard is one thing, accusing others of being "ignorant" is EVEN MORE RETARDED YOU FGT! hahahhaa
        • WallsOfPeril, on 05/29/2008, -0/+3"…They were able to predict NEW molecules that might be more effective, and safe. ... The team then CREATED those NEW compounds in the lab, and compared them to DEET…"

          Dope.
  • xdevit, on 05/28/2008, -1/+4Or.. just eat garlic. Plus there are alot of health benefits.
  • itsgotyou, on 05/28/2008, -6/+1It's so good, its got DEET beat!
  • ryanhayn, on 05/28/2008, -1/+1Quick...it's late! Comment now for easy diggs!
  • icehawk, on 05/28/2008, -1/+3Does anyone know if the supposed digital mosquito repellers actually work? Apparently they repell by making a noise we can't hear to drive the blood suckers away.
    • Zarile3, on 05/28/2008, -0/+2When I was younger, my parents bought me one of those. It was a little green plastic thing that snapped onto your belt. I took it to a 3 day field trip camping in the end of may, lots of mosquitoes, only one or two bites. It was an annoying noise, but I do believe that the frequency of that noise is the one that is only audible to people of a certain age. Plus, it worked really well!
  • eugee, on 05/28/2008, -6/+1But can it run Crysis?
  • d0ugfunny, on 05/28/2008, -6/+2can't the iPhone already do that?
  • curseoflou, on 05/28/2008, -0/+1that does seem to be the case:(
  • newsebation, on 05/28/2008, -0/+1Icehawk- it seems to make sense that they would work, however, i have not tried them...
    philodygmn- i think it's so important to point out the natural ways to fend off these pests, thanks!
    Should we not be working towards a greener earth, rather than creating more chemicals which will be somehow linked to diseases? I hike and camp and hardly use insect repellent, if you wear the right clothing, which is not a tanktop and shorts, then you should be alright! I will now get some lemon eucalyptus for these trips...
    • Xanium4332, on 05/28/2008, -0/+2*ahem* Malaria?

      Ah you should be alright, they shouldn't bite you if your wearing trousers...
  • drgreenberg, on 05/28/2008, -0/+0There is nothing new about this. I learned about picaridin more than two years ago and brought the only US product (at the time) featuring the material (a spray called Cutter Advance) with me to Peru back in the summer of 2006.
  • BattleScars, on 05/28/2008, -0/+2I think the ultimate mosquito repellant is a long-sleeved shirt and trousers. I'd rather be hot than dead.
    • joot2112, on 05/28/2008, -0/+4Watch out for that one on your neck!
      • BattleScars, on 05/28/2008, -0/+2To hell with it. A scarf and full face balaclava! Happy now!
    • Schda, on 05/28/2008, -0/+2You must have some lazy mosquitos then. Here in MN, they will bite right through long sleeve shirts. Jeans are usually safe, but any exposed skin or thinner materials they can bite through. Even worse are deer flys, I've had them land and bite me even when I've just sprayed myself (and them) with DEET. It only seemed to make them mad, and unlike mosquito bites which don't really hurt so much as annoy you and make you itch, Deer Fly bites hurt.
  • atact88, on 05/28/2008, -5/+0The ultimate mosquito repellent is a chainsaw and bulldozers. Take those woods out
    • retral, on 05/28/2008, -1/+5Yeah, and don't bother doing anything with the swamp/pond water where they actually spawn.
  • MrFurious2k, on 05/28/2008, -0/+3We just need to kill every last mosquito on the planet. Then we can start with ticks. Until that day, I'm okay with anything that makes it harder for them to bite me.
  • brandilla, on 05/28/2008, -1/+0"It tends to also have a sticky feel on the skin, and some people find the odor of DEET offensive," AMEN. I used a sunscreen/bug repellent combo with deet during my field school two summers ago and not only did I stink but the dirt from power screening was glued to me by the end of the day. Nasty, nasty feeling. But I never got any bug bites thankfully.
    • s0nicfreak, on 05/28/2008, -0/+1I'm a allergic to it... the smell stops up my nose and makes my throat constrict... I nearly suffocated as a kid one day when, before I realized I was allergic, I sprayed it on myself, started to "not feel good" and took a nap.
  • tatical, on 05/28/2008, -0/+2I thought this was going to be a story about a natural alternative, but its just MORE chemicals. Catnip can be used as as a natural alternative and is more effective than DEET.

    Catnip vs DEET lab test: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2001/08/01082 ...

    Catnip mosquito repellent (Google search result): http://www.mosquitosolutions.com/catnip.html
    • geogeer, on 05/28/2008, -0/+5Yeah, but then you got cats trying to bite you instead.
  • Phosphan, on 05/28/2008, -0/+1In Europe you get almost only http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icaridin - in Malaysia DEET is not sold at all AFAIK.
  • Merendino, on 05/28/2008, -0/+2dude, misleading title... i was all excited to see a better mosquito repellent and was fooled into thinking you actually found something.

    FOOL!!
  • boejangles, on 05/28/2008, -0/+5Just last night i had a half hour battle with a mosquito in my bedroom, before bed. I'd see it for a few seconds then it would disappear.
    I finally tracked him down and went rambo on his ass.
    • Dustmuffins, on 06/01/2008, -0/+1I'm currently engaged in a similar battle. Just randomly flys on my monitor then is completely gone.
    • Dustmuffins, on 06/01/2008, -0/+1nm, got his ass.

      Thank god, internet.
  • sagat, on 05/28/2008, -1/+2Why cant we just bring back good old DDT and get rid of the pests altogether. Rachel Carson and her bloody book, she's responsible for the deaths of 260 million men women and children in the last 50 years from Malaria. Bitch.
  • danieldrehmer, on 05/28/2008, -0/+1Someday they will discover it causes cancer
  • levyjl1988, on 05/28/2008, -0/+1Does this article really matter, most diggers stay inside and never ever dare to go outside. It's way too bright.
    P.S I'm a vampire so I hate sunlight.
  • SpeedStix, on 05/28/2008, -0/+1They should make a chemical that repels mosquites but if they do manage to land and try to bite you, should kill them off.
  • Brodels, on 05/28/2008, -0/+1Dugg for the 40oz's t-shirt at the end.
  • Loco801, on 05/28/2008, -0/+0Its a ***** mosquito bite! who cares.
  •  

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