The human body: An inspiring biological work of art? Or a meaty sack of germs and fluids? Either way, there’s still a lot we don’t know about what goes on in there — and scientists are constantly attempting to find out more. Here are the most interesting things we learned about our bodies in the last seven days…
Skrillex Songs Stop Mosquitoes from Biting and Banging
You read that right: New research published in Acta Tropica, an international journal focused on infectious diseases, found that the massively popular Skrillex song “Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites” works as an effective mosquito repellent.
The researchers explain that sound is “crucial for reproduction, survival and population maintenance of many animals.” Apparently, though, the fluctuating frequencies in this particular song are too lit for mosquitoes to focus on feeding and mating. Instead, the researchers note that female adult mosquitoes were “entertained” by the bumping track, and therefore, sucked blood later and less often than those in a dubstep-free environment. Meanwhile, “Adult [mosquitoes] entertained with music copulated far less than their peers under music-off condition.”
In which case, thanks, Skrillex, for the mosquito-free summer ahead.
Putting Magnets in Your Dick Is a Bad Idea
Doctors recently removed a string of 39 magnetic balls — also known as Buckyballs — from a Chinese schoolboy’s penis hole (!!!) after he apparently shoved them up there out of “curiosity.” The balls had clogged his urethra, so he was unable to pee. Urologist Wang Jun, who performed a minimally invasive surgical procedure to remove the magnets, reportedly said, “The boy was curious, so he put the Buckyballs into his penis” (get this boy a PlayStation or something, Goddamn). Fortunately, the procedure went well, and the boy is now able to pee once again. However, we’re going to assume his dong can no longer stick to the refrigerator.
Dust Can Make Your Kids Fat, and Life Is a Cruel Joke
Pull out the duster, because a new study found that chemicals from various common household products latch onto dust particles, and that chemical-laden dust can “promote the development of fat cells in a cell model and could contribute to increased growth in children relative to their age.” Earlier studies had previously found that common household chemicals — laundry detergents, household cleaners, paints and cosmetics — can contribute to obesity, but this appears to be the first study that adds dust to the long list of things that will make your kids gain weight. All of which even further substantiates the notion that nothing is safe, and we’re all going to die.
People Surrounded by Trees and Shrubs Spend Less on Healthcare
A new study published in Urban Forestry and Urban Greening found that Medicare costs tend to be lower in U.S. counties with more forests and shrub-lands than in counties with less greenery (good thing I live in a concrete jungle!). More specifically, the research revealed that each one percent of land covered in forest is associated with an average savings of $4.32 per person per year on Medicare expenditures. This isn’t the first study that’s pointed to greenery having beneficial effects on our overall health, so maybe go hang out in a park or something. Y’know, for your health.
MDMA Is King When It Comes to Drugged-Up Sex
We all saw that coming. New research, which explored the drugs that people most often take before having sex, found that the druggiest sex happens in the U.K., where one in five participants reported banging someone while high on MDMA, and 13 percent admitted to having sex on cocaine. As per the more legal stuff, 60 percent of the participants worldwide admitted to having drunken sex (which seemed low in my opinion, but whatever). Cannabis-induced sex came next, with 37 percent of men and 26 percent of women admitting to blazing fat before sexing it up.
All of which is to say… nice.
Ian Lecklitner
Ian Lecklitner is a staff writer at MEL Magazine. He mostly writes about everyone's favorite things: Sex, drugs and food.
