Stripes that protect zebras from horseflies may do the same for humans
https://news.sky.com/story/stripes-that-...s-11608525
EXCERPT: For years we have known that the black and whites stripes on a zebra's body were a vital deterrent to horseflies. But scientists think that the stripes may also protect humans from the blood-sucking insects. Many of the indigenous tribes in Africa, Australia and Papua New Guinea who paint stripes on their bodies also live in places where horseflies are widespread. The stripes are for decoration, emotional expression or as markers of identity or group affiliation but maybe they also know something about repelling insects that the rest of the world did not. Scientists in Hungary set out to prove the theory using plastic mannequins covered in glue.
[...] Writing in the journal Royal Society Open Science, the researchers said: "The results of our field experiment support the theory that the use of striped body painting may be related to protection against dangerous parasitic pests. We found that striped body painting reduces the visual attractiveness of bodies to horseflies. However, we would like to emphasise that the primary reasons for the use of body paintings are social and cultural."
RELATED: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20...122711.htm
https://news.sky.com/story/stripes-that-...s-11608525
EXCERPT: For years we have known that the black and whites stripes on a zebra's body were a vital deterrent to horseflies. But scientists think that the stripes may also protect humans from the blood-sucking insects. Many of the indigenous tribes in Africa, Australia and Papua New Guinea who paint stripes on their bodies also live in places where horseflies are widespread. The stripes are for decoration, emotional expression or as markers of identity or group affiliation but maybe they also know something about repelling insects that the rest of the world did not. Scientists in Hungary set out to prove the theory using plastic mannequins covered in glue.
[...] Writing in the journal Royal Society Open Science, the researchers said: "The results of our field experiment support the theory that the use of striped body painting may be related to protection against dangerous parasitic pests. We found that striped body painting reduces the visual attractiveness of bodies to horseflies. However, we would like to emphasise that the primary reasons for the use of body paintings are social and cultural."
RELATED: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20...122711.htm