By following the “nose” of fruit flies, scientists are on the trail of new insect repellents that may reduce the spread of infectious disease and damage to agricultural crops. That’s because they’ve learned for the first time how a group of genes used to differentiate smells is turned on and off, opening new possibilities for insect control. Researchers can target these or similar genes in other insects to create substances that make crops and people “invisible” to insect antennae. Without the ability to smell correctly, the insects are far less likely to attack a person or plant, as is the case with mosquitoes whose ability to smell lactic acid is disrupted by the active ingredient in insect repellents, DEET.
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Researchers have identified a gene that acts as a master switch to control obesity in mice. When the gene is deleted, even high-fat-diet mice remain thin. Deleting the gene, called ‘IKKE’, also appears to protect mice against conditions that, in humans, lead to Type 2 diabetes, which is associated with obesity and is on the rise among North Americans, including children and adolescents.
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After the failure of the Deepwater Horizon oil well, nearly 2 million gallons of dispersant were released into the Gulf of Mexico to contain the spill. While the early reports suggested that it successfully dispersed much of the oil, the long-term effect of such a massive volume of dispersant on ecosystems, wildlife and humans remains to be seen. Some environmentalists believe that the effects of such dispersants on aquatic life may be nearly as severe as the oil spill itself and suggest we should not use dispersants.
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