# Mosquitoes pick favourite humans using scent and body heat 2026-08-08T14:50:34+00:00 | Health & Science | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Mosquitoes are picky biters, and science has decoded their dating app. They track carbon dioxide from breath, body heat, and especially a person's unique skin scent. A 2023 study in Current Biology found they use CO₂ as long-range GPS to find humans. Pregnant women and adults attract more bites because they produce more heat and carbon dioxide than children do. Most critically, a Rockefeller University study of 64 people showed that skin scents rich in carboxylic acid are irresistible. That preference persists for years. Only female mosquitoes bite, needing blood proteins to lay eggs every four days. Their hunting is not random but a precise cascade of chemical and thermal cues. ## Coverage - deccanherald.com Tags: carboxylic acid, dengue, insect repellent, mosquitoes, scent, skin microbiome Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/mosquitoes-pick-favourite-humans-using-scent-and-body-heat/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/mosquitoes-pick-favourite-humans-using-scent-and-body-heat/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.