It’s the acids on your skin, not your blood, that makes you more attractive to mosquitoes + Get dirty for better immunity
Time to put down the disinfectant and get a little dirty: Cleanliness and detoxifying have become pervasive in cosmetics, diets, and wellness but a growing body of research suggests that dirt is good for us, the Financial Times reports. “We’re entering an age when soil-friendly practices and regenerative agriculture are going to feed through to what we put on our skin, the food we eat and how we behave,” said Beth McGroarty, vice president of research and forecasting at the Global Wellness Institute.
What is “regenerative” agriculture? The term refers to a more eco-friendly approach that goes beyond simply preserving the soil and actively offers solutions, as The World Economic Forum estimates that we only have less than 60 years of this topsoil left. One scoop of soil may contain up to 50 bn lifeforms and this incredible diversity is critical to the health of the soil, which works to distribute water and nutrients to plants, and control rainfall, among other essential factors to maintaining the health of our planet.
It’s impacting modern beauty and wellness companies as well: Bog Skincare, which is named after a 2k-year-old body discovered perfectly preserved in bogland some 20 years ago, bases its formulas on organic peat, which contains anti-aging antioxidant levels 300 times higher than Trolox, the industry standard antioxidant, according to clinical trials by Glasgow University. Further research discovered that the peat’s humic and fulvic acids had anti-wrinkle capabilities. Perfume companies are also beginning to focus more on soil-friendly practices rather than making general “sustainable” claims. Leading the movement is Guerlain, who recently auctioned off digital artwork NFTs to raise funds for a new “laboratory garden” dedicated to investigating regenerative agriculture practices.
Ever wondered why you get bitten by mosquitoes more than others? Some people have higher levels of specific acids on their skin which are irresistible to the pesky insects, according to a study by New York’s Rockefeller University. Participants were asked to put nylon stockings on their arms to capture the natural odor of their skin. The stockings were then placed in a clear plastic container full of mosquitos to observe which the insects flocked to the most. People with higher levels of carboxylic acids on their skin were more likely to be "mosquito magnets," the study's principal researcher said.
Breakthrough in the production of bug spray: These discoveries may pave the way for new products that mask or alter certain human scents, reducing mosquito bites and the spread of sometimes deadly diseases like yellow fever, dengue, and Zika virus. Some 700 mn people globally catch diseases caused by mosquitoes each year, and studies expect that numbers will climb as temperatures rise, a University of Washington professor and a mosquito expert tells the Washington Post.
iPhones are going to have USB-C chargers: Apple will adhere to a EU law requiring it to replace its iPhones’ lightning chargers to USB-C, Bloomberg reports, citing the tech giant’s marketing chief Greg Joswiak. Apple will make the shift next year, ahead of the law going into effect in 2024, Joswiak said. The chargers have been a point of contention between Apple and the EU for 10 years, he said. It’s still unclear whether the USB-C supported iPhones will be rolled out exclusively in the EU or worldwide.