DEET-2, DEETER

by Nadir on June 27, 2012 at 10:16 am

In Deet part-1 I think we safely established that DEET isn’t a four-letter-word. uh. yeah. DEET is also clearly more widely accepted than some of the ‘natural product’ propaganda advertisements would lead you to believe (“CONTAINS NO DEET!” “CHEMICALS ARE THE DEVIL” “HIDE YOUR CHILDREN AND FRAIL UNCLES” “NO MSG!”)*.

I had to be a bit choosy with my wording in the comic though because the mechanism that allows DEET to be so successful has been a topic of debate since its introduction over 5 decades ago. Hot debate even, some might say. I’d like to imagine scientist-fist-fights breaking out regularly over this.** Initially DEET was believed to block insect olfactory receptors, blinding them to human signals. But we now know that insects can indeed smell DEET. Whether they intensely dislike the smell and stay away because of that, or DEET acts as Bug-chaff by jamming signals is a matter that’s just going to have to be settled by fisticuffs.

In the end jammer-blocker-stinker-DEET essentially forces insects into inaction rather than harming them, which compounds moral high-ground on top of DEETs already general badassery. You might have also noticed that DEET has a mini-gun arm, and that’s because shut up.

-
-
*some of those may not appear on actual products.
**Whoever wins is correct. Those are the rules of Science-Club.

└ Tags: DEET

Ceresan

Chemophobics can be nearly as bad as some of these other hair brained groups…raw food vegans, flat earthers, intelligent designers.
- KicktheCAN
  
  I gotta ask, what is so bad about raw food vegans?
  - Queelis
    
    They eat raw food. And imagine that makes them better. And have all sort of wacky claims (we get all the enzymes in the food!), never mind that they don’t absorb nearly as much nutrients as from processed food.
    - Sordatos Cáceres
      
      Nevermind that they do have to take nutritional supplements and you can get the same benefits by using an “regular” diet if you plan it as well….
  - http://www.facebook.com/weenertron Diana Welsch
    
    I don’t think eating a raw food diet is bad in itself, but people who are into that tend to be into a lot of woo, like alternative medicine, anti-vax, acupuncture, etc.
RayDNoper

There is also icaridin which has worked as effectively as DEET and was much, much easier to my skin, already sensitive from chemotherapy… Do recommend.
Dev Null

Am I the only one that thinks the worst thing about mozzies is the noise? Seriously bug, just bite me already – stop flying in my ear!
- http://www.facebook.com/weenertron Diana Welsch
  
  Seriously! Those monsters keep me up a night! Give me itchy hives if you must but STEAL MY ZZZZs and I WILL KILL YOU.
- http://sci-ence.org Maki
  
  I always hated gnats the most because their entire life goal seemed to be about flying into my eye.
http://twitter.com/ajollynerd A Jolly Nerd

You forgot the first rule of Science Club. You don’t talk about Science Club… except… when the subject is about science. Which is most of the time… er… never mind.
- Daniel Schealler
  
  1st RULE: You do not talk about SCIENCE CLUB without peer review.
  2nd RULE: You DO NOT talk about SCIENCE CLUB WITHOUT PEER REVIEW.
  3rd RULE: If someone says “stop” or goes limp, taps out the experiment is over.
  4th RULE: Only two lead scientists to a paper.
  5th RULE: One uncontrolled variable at a time.
  6th RULE: Lab coats and protective goggles are required in the lab at all times.
  7th RULE: Experiments will go on as long as they have to.
  8th RULE: If this is your first night at SCIENCE CLUB, you HAVE to present to the rest of us on your most recent research.
Don Smith

Man, you’re rocking the Jim Lee Deathblow look on Deet. Excellent work!

S	M	T	W	T	F	S
« Apr
			1	2	3	4
5	6	7	8	9	10	11
12	13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22	23	24	25
26	27	28	29	30	31

What is this?

Facebook

DEET-2, DEETER

What is this?

Facebook

DEET-2, DEETER

Share this: