Want to repel mosquitoes? Use graphene-lined clothes

Health officials in the Philippines continue to seek better weapons against dengue fever as death toll from the mosquito-borne disease continues to rise in several regions in the country. Some people use insect repellents, while others use biological alternatives to kill the thirsty little bloodsuckers.

Graphene also prevents mosquito bites. A team of researchers at Brown University discovered that graphene-lined clothing not only is an effective physical barrier to those pesky insects, it also blocks chemical signals in sweat that encourage them to bite.

"With the graphene, the mosquitoes weren't even landing on the skin patch—they just didn't seem to care," according to Cintia Castillho, a PhD student at Brown and the study's lead author.

Since its discovery in 2004, graphene has been dubbed as a wonder material. It is stronger than steel, lighter than paper, conducts heat and electricity, and highly flexible.

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The Adorable Sculptures of Yen Yen Lo

These images are from a series of wall sculptures created by Yen Yen Lo . Here you can see her intricately textured ceramic pieces, looking downright adorable. Yen Yen Lo's eye for the unique and whimsical is delightful. Apparently they are not intended for kids under 16. Fifteen-year-olds cannot be trusted with fragile stuff. Get them a Funko Pop instead.

Good things come in small boxes

Here's a tip: If you lose your child at The Museum of Modern Art, try the MoMa Design Store , where he's likely roaming around and looking for some cool toys. Among the things worth buying is this Science Experiment Toolbox, which contains everything kids as young as four need to conduct over 6 exciting experiments. Made of durable plastic and eco-friendly wood parts, budding engineers, inventors, and problem-solvers will be fascinated by this set. There's a bell ringer, a zoetrope, a waving hand, a climbing frog and a crane to help them learn logical concepts such energy transfer, momentum and gravity. I would have loved this as a kid.

How sculptor Ptolemy Elrington turns old hubcaps into works of art

One British artist has found treasure in the junk that some people throw away and, using his creativity and resourcefulness, turns it into metal masterpieces. Ptolemy Elrington, who is currently based in Brighton, England, takes abandoned hubcaps and repurposes them into spectacular animal sculptures using hand tools and wire. Ptolemy specializes in wheel trims, but any piece of discarded metal scrap is a potential art masterpiece in his eyes. His creations can take anything from a single day to three months, such as the ten-meter long dragon he built from 200 hubcaps, which sold for £3,000. Check out the video, embedded below, and his website for more. [h/t: FREEYORK ]

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