The Mosquito Magnet

The story

At Riya's family dinner last weekend, dessert was the highlight until everyone noticed Chintu's legs covered with mosquito bites, while Baba had none. Riya assumed mosquitoes bit everyone equally and it was just bad luck. Chintu wondered why he was targeted, despite even wearing socks. Kabir suggested it was the mango pickle, believing salty foods attracted mosquitoes. Chintu avoided the pickle, but the bites continued. Aaji compared people to flowers attracting bees and revealed the real reason: it comes down to genes. Some people's skin releases specific smells and heat that mosquitoes can sense. In the end, Chintu decided to always sit near Baba for protection, while Riya realised that it was not the pickle, but genes, that made some people mosquito magnets. The question remains: who gets bitten most at your house?

The science

People do not get bitten by mosquitoes equally because of genetic variation. Your genes affect how much heat and which scent molecules your skin releases. Mosquitoes sense these cues, especially body heat and smells, from nearly a metre away. Some people's skin emits odors or warmth that are especially attractive to mosquitoes, while others release fewer of these clues and are less likely to be bitten. Eating foods like pickle does not usually make a difference. This difference in attraction is called genetic variation in biology and is covered under Principles of Inheritance & Variation.

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