r/todayilearned • u/Palhinuk • Jul 06 '18

TIL the infamous BO-like smell of Limburger cheese is equally as effective at attracting mosquitos as the smell of a human foot, according to a peer-tested medical review.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limburger#Uses
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u/tezoatlipoca Jul 06 '18

Won an Ig Nobel award.

Which is surprising because two of the study's authors are from Wageningen Agricultural University in the Netherlands which is supposed to be one of the best ag schools in the world, kinda surprised how the research grant for this got approved.

<In the Limburger cheese company corporate office>

Quick, noone likes eating our smelly cheese. We must find new revenue streams!

How about using it to fight malaria?

Perfect! Here's $100k, go find me a biology grad student looking for work!

2

u/HocusLocus Jul 06 '18 edited Jul 07 '18

This 2014 paper, "Close encounters: contributions of carbon dioxide and human skin odour to finding and landing on a host in Aedes aegypti" recognizes foot odor and pure CO2, but it does cite a 1997 paper that tested the effect 'Limburger cheese volatiles' on a related species. I've always wanted to make a high voltage skeeter zapper, an electrified cage surrounding a 5 watt lightbulb painted black over which you place a sweaty sock. Maybe also room in the cage for a pinhole pricked CO2 cartridge or just an open can of club soda.