Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Hi,

My daughter and friend are looking for possible projects for a science expo run by their school (grade 7). They have been encouraged to ask questions to things they have always wanted to know and try and answer them. One of the questions they have identified is: why do mosquitoes bite some people and not others? Without wanting to discourage them I feel that this topic is too broad. Could someone perhaps help us with some ideas on how to go about it (they are only 12 years old). We thought of maybe a quetionnaire but are unsure what kind of questions to ask and also what kind of questions may be relevant to a topic of this nature. Also what kind of scientific input could we add to this project ie experiments as I feel that a quetionnaire is not sufficient.
Thank-you.

Hi Maria,

I think you are right that it would be difficult to do a scientific study with just a questionairre.

One of the things thats scientists do if they can't ethically test what they want to test is to use a model system. So while you can't put people in a room with mosquitos and see who gets bitten, you could put insects in a controlled environment and see if they are attracted to a certain smell or colour.

So for example, your daughter and her friend could develop an hypothesis that insects are repelled by the odour of garlic, with the rationale that eating garlic might aid in preventing being bitten by mosquitos. The experiment could use a harmless kind of insect such as a fruit fly if you can't use mosquitos. A good set up might be a box that has different chambers that have either no smell or a smell. Then count how many are in each chamber over time. It would be good to have a positive control something you know the flies will like (and will prefer to be in that part of the boxthan the neutral area). But its also important to make sure that its only smell and not a food source - so perhaps you could use a piece of filter paper with some kind of essential oil to convey the smell.

I also found this experiment about hatching mosquitos that could be another option.
http://www.woodrow.org/teachers/esi/199 ... squito.htm

Keep posting with your ideas as you go along as people will help you to iron out the details,

Best of luck,
-Caroline

Hi Caroline,
Thanks so much for your ideas, it gives them a starting point. I will let you know how they progress.