CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?

GOOD NEWS SWIMMERS BRING HOME THE GOLD

South Africans Matthew Sates and Chad le Clos (ABOVE) recently did South Africa proud at the 2022 Fina Swimming World Cup in Berlin, Germany. Chad (30) won gold in the 100m butterfly while Matthew (19) won gold in the 200m and 400m freestyle, and in the 200m and 400m individual medley.

Chad, who’s been battling to find his form since last year’s Tokyo Olympics, is delighted to be back on the podium. “I’m absolutely over the moon,” he said on Fina’s website.

“The time wasn’t important; I couldn’t really care about the time. I just wanted to win, bad. I’ve taken a lot of losses lately and I’m done with that now.”

BAD NEWS VIRUSES COULD SPREAD FROM MELTING ICE

New research on rapidly melting glaciers in the Arctic is worrying. Studies have revealed that there could be a risk of viral spillover. This is when a virus jumps to another species and infects a new host for the first time. Scientists have found that with global temperatures rising, more ice is melting and the viruses and bacteria that were once frozen could escape and infect local wildlife. Viruses need hosts like humans, animals, plants or fungi to replicate and spread.

YOU MIGHT BE A MOSQUITO MAGNET

Ever wondered why mosquitoes bite you and not, say, your friend? It could be because of the way you smell. A new study has shown mozzies are more attracted to people who produce high levels of a certain acid on their skin. This acid, which is found in the skin’s moisturising layer, varies in strength from person-to-person and gives off different odours to mosquitoes. Insect repellant might help a bit, but mozzies will always find a way. “Mosquitoes are resilient,” says researcher Leslie Vosshall from Rockefeller University in New York. “They have many backup plans to be able to find us and bite us.”