20 Weird Science Facts That You Might Just Need One Day
14. To Protect Yourself From Malaria Sleep With A Chicken Next To Your Bed
Scientists have found that malaria carrying mosquitos will avoid feeding on certain animals, such as chickens, by using specific odour cues. Basically, mosquitos think that chickens taste and smell nasty.
This means that if you sleep with a chicken next to your bed (or indeed, keep a chicken near your side at all times), the mosquitos will be put off biting you. Alternatively, if you don't fancy putting up with the noise and the mess, an easier option might be to isolate the compounds that mosquitoes find repellant, and create a spray.
When you might need to know this:
When you are trying to protect yourself from malaria. Duh.
13. The Saliva Of A Slow Loris Is So Poisonous, It Licks Its Offspring To Protect Them From Predators
As well as being officially one of the cutest animals in the universe, the slow loris also has a bizarre defense mechanism.
It's saliva, possibly thanks to its diet of poisonous insects, is extremely toxic, capable of killing an animal the size of a cat. This clearly doesn't bother the Loris, as it will drool all over its defenseless young to protect them from predators whilst they search for food.
When you might need to know this:
When you are trying to protect your offspring from predators. Duh.