Don't Bite Me!

Curious Cases

• Episode: Don't Bite Me!
• Website: Curious Cases
• Feed URL: http://podcasts.files.bbci.co.uk/b07dx75g.rss
• Duration: 00:29:47
• Published: 2025-05-23 10:30

Ever wondered why some people are mosquito magnets and other people barely get bitten? Hannah and Dara grapple with the question of whether these insects are evil or genius, discovering how they’re experts at finding blood when they’re hungry, even using a specially designed syringe to suck it out. But when Professor Leslie Vosshall tells them some people are more than 100 times likely to be attacked than others, the pair start wondering which one of them is more attractive? So they put the science to the test, and reluctantly agree to send their stinky socks to Professor Sarah Reece. She reveals that one of them smells extra special to these annoying little animals, possibly because of their cheesy feet. But can you guess who?

Contributors: Professor Sarah Reece Professor Leslie Vosshall Professor John Pickett

Producer: Marijke Peters Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem A BBC Studios Audio Production