Top 10 Facts That May Surprise You About Mosquitoes

One thing we can all agree on here. Nobody likes mosquitoes. But our hatred for these pesky insects is also intertwined with an ironic interest to know more about them. Here are some mosquito facts you may not know and a few facts that may help you from becoming of victim of their love bites. 
1. Females Mosquitoes Can Live Twice as Long
Just like humans, the female is known to outlive the male but by a much larger difference. Given the right environment, an adult female can live over a month while males normally do not make it past two weeks. 
2. Only Female Mosquitoes Bite
In reality, they don’t bite, but suck. After finding her target she inserts the elongated, razor-sharp proboscis (their mouth equivalent) through the skin looking for a blood meal which will nourish her future eggs. If left undisturbed, the female will feed until her abdomen is completely full.  
3. A Popularity Contest?
To mate, the males form large swarms at dusk and the females enter to take their pick. And for mosquitoes, it’s not the size that counts. Studies show that medium-sized males attract the most females because of their ability to stay up (in the air) longer. 
4. Finding a Perfect Harmony
To mate, the males form large swarms at dusk and the females enter to take their pick. And for mosquitoes, it’s not the size that counts. Studies show that medium-sized males attract the most females because of their ability to stay up (in the air) longer.
5. Mosquitoes Don’t Like Fans
You can use creams, sprays, candles, and more, but a great mosquito repellent that doesn’t leave you smelling like…well, mosquito repellent…is a fan. Because of their incredibly light weight, it is difficult for mosquitoes to maneuver their flight and even more difficult to steady themselves on a target. 
6. “Mosquito” is a Spanish Word Meaning “Little Fly”
A little Spanish lesson: mosca is Spanish for fly. In Spanish, the diminutive form of a main word is used to describe something smaller yet similar. This is achieved by adding –ito to the end of the word. Therefore, the result is mosquito.
7. Bill Gates Hates Mosquitoes Too
The Anopheles mosquito species is the overwhelming human malaria carrier. 90% of malaria cases occur in sub-Saharan Africa. In February 2009, philanthropist Bill Gates released a jar of mosquitoes at a technology conference in California in order to get his point across concerning funding for further malaria vaccine development.
8. Mosquitoes Like Your Breathing and Sweaty
Were you ever told that mosquitoes were biting you in particular because you were just so sweet? Not really…what attracts mosquitoes most is the carbon dioxide exhaled from our mouths and certain aromas that each individual’s body creates. Completely opposite from sweet, it is said that mosquitoes fly more towards sweaty surfaces.
9. Mosquitoes Stay Close to Home
A mosquito can develop from egg to adult in as little as 4 days, but it hardly ever wanders far from the “nest.” Since it only travels between 1 and 1.5 miles per hour, it rarely goes beyond a 1 mile radius from its birth place during its short life cycle.
10. There are a lot of Mosquito Species
There are around 3,000 mosquito species in the world. Between 150 and 200 of those can be found in North America. West Virginia reports the fewest species (26) while Texas claims the most (85). Every July the small town of Clute Texas hosts The Great Texas Mosquito Festival complete with a Mosquito Chase Race and Mosquito Calling Contest.

Top Ten Most Expensive Metals

The price of most metals is directly related to the metal’s rarity. Over the last several decades, investing in metals has become a popular alternative to the more volatile stock market.  Many of the metals on this list have multiple applications. Some metals are popular for jewelry while others are used for components within aircraft engines. The metals on this list display a wide array of different characteristics. Some are sought after due to their tolerance to corrosion, while others are sought after for their reflectivity. Here are the top ten most expensive metals in the world:

1.Rhodium

Rhodium is the world’s most valuable metal. It is commonly sought after due to its reflective properties. It is often used in large mirrors, search lights, and as a coating for jewelry. This extremely rare metal is only found in a handful of places on Earth. Nearly 60% of all rhodium comes from South Africa, followed next by Russia.

2.Platinum

Found throughout South Africa, Russia, Canada, and several other countries, platinum is known for its malleability, density, and non-corrosive properties. Similar to palladium, platinum is also known for its ability to withstand great quantities of hydrogen. Due to is many desirable properties, platinum is widely used for making jewelry, in dentistry, weaponry, and in the aerospace industry.

3.Gold

Without a doubt, gold is the most recognizable metal on Earth. Its value has been known for centuries. Due to its durability, malleability, and desirability, gold is one of the most sought after metals in the world. It is also a very common investment option as well. The largest miners of gold in the world are South Africa, the United States, Australia, and China. Besides for making attractive jewelry, gold has a number of valuable industrial applications as well. Due to its high conductivity, gold is commonly used in a number of electronics products. It is also used to create better radiation shields and glass due to its high reflectivity.

4.Ruthenium

Originally discovered by Russian scientist Karl Karlovich in 1844, ruthenium is a member of the platinum metals group. As a result, it retains many of the properties the other metals of this group including hardness, rarity, and the ability to withstand outside elements. Ruthenium is primarily found throughout areas in Russia, North America, and South America. After a complex process, the metal can be isolated and used for a variety of purposes. Most commonly ruthenium is added as an alloy to platinum and palladium in order to increase its hardness and to make other metals more corrosion-resistant. The two primary applications of ruthenium are in jewelry and electrical contacts.

5.Iridium

Also discovered by Smithson Tennant, iridium is considered to be the most extreme member of the platinum group. This whitish metal has a high melting point, is very dense, and is the most corrosion-resistant metal. Even acid, has no real affect on iridium. The properties of iridium have allowed it to contribute to advances in medicine, electronics, and automobiles. The majority of iridium is mined in South Africa as a by-product of nickel mining.

6.Osmium

This bluish-silver metal is one of the densest elements on Earth. Osmium was discovered by Smithson Tennant in 1803. The most common use of osmium is to harden platinum alloys for electrics contacts, filaments, and other industrial uses. Humans must be careful when handling osmium because it can emit a toxic oxide that can cause severe tissue damage. The largest largest producer of osmium is Russia followed by the United States and various countries in South America.

7.Palladium

Named after the Greek goddess Pallas, palladium is considered to be a member of the precious-metals group. Palladium was discovered in 1803 by William Hyde Wollaston when he discovered a way to separate palladium from its surrounding platinum ore. Some of the properties of palladium include its ability to absorb a considerable amount of hydrogen at room temperature, its stability under hot conditions, and its malleability. Today, palladium is used by automobile manufacturers in catalytic converters to reduce emissions, jewelers use palladium to create white gold alloys, and electronics manufacturers use palladium to coat components with it. Nearly half of the world’s palladium comes from Russia, followed by South Africa, the United States, and Canada.

8.Rhenium

Although not widely as well known as some of the other metals on this list, rhenium has a number of uses due to it being one of the densest metals and having the third highest melting point. Due to its density, rhenium is able to withstand a number of harsh conditions. Originally discovered in 1925, rhenium is used nowadays in high-temperature turbine engines. Some of the other common uses of rhenium include electrical contacts, thermocouples, and filaments.

9.Silver

Classically known as one of the most expensive metals on Earth, silver has many different uses. As most people know, silver is used commonly in jewelry, coins, circuitry, dentistry, and in batteries. However, silver also has a number of less known uses as well. Silver has the property of being able to stop the spread of bacteria, control odors, and prevent mold growth in treated wood. Peru, Chile, Mexico, and China are the largest producers of silver in the world. The prices of silver have been steadily increasing over the last few decades, making silver one of the best commodity investments around.

10.Indium

Known for being soft, silvery-white in color, indium was first discovered by Ferdinand Reich in Germany in 1863. Interestingly, when bent, the metal lets out a high-pitched scream. It is useful for making low-melting point alloys and is used in a variety a reflective surfaces. During World War II, indium was used as a coating for aircraft bearings and in aircraft engines. Currently, Canada is the world’s largest producer of indium.