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What the Mites On Your Face Say About Where You Came From (sciencemag.org)

Posted by samzenpus on from the hometown-bugs dept.

sciencehabit writes with news about how the hair mites you carry can be used to determine your ancestry. "Right now, deep in your hair follicles and sweat glands, tiny mites are feeding on dead skin cells, mating, and laying eggs. The microscopic arthropods, known as Demodex folliculorum, live on virtually all mammals—especially their faces—and cause no harm under most circumstances. Now, a new study shows that people of different ancestry carry different subgroups of the bugs, and that the mites' distribution throughout the global population may even reflect how our species has migrated and evolved over the course of history."

12 of 72 comments (clear)

  1. Alian mites by ls671 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Thanks to the mites, we might finally find out if we come from extraterrestrial origins.

    --
    Everything I write is lies, read between the lines.
  2. Re:Hair growth factor? by Tablizer · · Score: 4, Funny

    Maybe a 'mite transplant' is the cure for baldness.

    Trump had a Tribble transplant.

    (Sorry, I can't kick Trump joke habit. Therapy failed.)

    --
    Table-ized A.I.
  3. Ewwww! by AndyKron · · Score: 2

    Ewwww. Get 'em off me! Get 'em off me!

  4. Are we born with them? by shione · · Score: 3, Interesting

    When we are born we are so clean that even our stomachs do not have bacteria. It is hypothesized that our first dose of this bacteria comes from normal child birth and then we are put in our mothers arms so kissing and cuddling further transfers the bacteria. Is this cuddling and kissing where we get the first face mites too or are we born with them?

    1. Re:Are we born with them? by tlhIngan · · Score: 3, Informative

      When we are born we are so clean that even our stomachs do not have bacteria. It is hypothesized that our first dose of this bacteria comes from normal child birth and then we are put in our mothers arms so kissing and cuddling further transfers the bacteria. Is this cuddling and kissing where we get the first face mites too or are we born with them?

      In fact, for the first two weeks after birth, the immune system is actually suppressed (while the baby has the antibodies conferred from the mother, immune activity is suppressed). It is believed this is to get a head start in populating symbiotic bacteria in the stomach, intestines and skin.

      Presumably a lot of touching confers it as well - our skins are full of bacteria, and on it live some species that we live symbiotically with - being territorial, any foreign invader gets attacked by them before they have a chance to invade us.

      And we live in a very dirty world - there are more foreign cells in and on our bodies than there are human cells, so the merest touches really help spawn colonies on a baby. We're so dirty it probably isn't possible to get anything completely sterile - instead, by sterile we really mean free from contaminants that could cause harm. All the other stuff we live with doesn't really harm us, and we live in peace with them.

  5. Death Mites by PopeRatzo · · Score: 3, Funny

    In Australia, the face mites try to kill you.

    --
    You are welcome on my lawn.
    1. Re:Death Mites by quenda · · Score: 2

      In Australia, the face mites try to kill you.

      Strewth mite, I dun geddit?

    2. Re:Death Mites by Trailer+Trash · · Score: 2

      In Australia, the face mites try to kill you.

      Wrong. In Australia they're docile and vegetarian - that's why they're known as vegemites.

      --
      Do you have ESP?
  6. Re:TROLL by epyT-R · · Score: 2

    Ever try ad block?

  7. They mite by Soft+Filter · · Score: 2

    They mite be onto something.

  8. Re:And when the ethnic groups mix? by epyT-R · · Score: 2

    The goa'uld.

  9. Re:Hair growth factor? by Coisiche · · Score: 2

    His wall to keep them out could be a marvel of construction. Nevermind the unintended consequences of that.