Sailors from Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate USS Vandegrift assist in the rescue of a family with a sick infant via the ship's small boat as part of a joint U.S. Navy, Coast Guard and California Air National Guard rescue effort in the Pacific Ocean. U.S. Navy via Reuters.
A. Dust bunnies form from the surprisingly large supply of stuff in the air, including fibers from clothing fabrics and carpeting; hair; animal fur and dander; and especially human skin cells and the dust mites that feed on them, according to Joseph Laquatra Jr., professor of design and environmental analysis at the College of Human Ecology at Cornell.
The house dust mite (HDM) is a cosmopolitan pyroglyphid that lives in human habitation. Dust mites feed on organic detritus, such as flakes of shed human skin, and flourish in the stable environment of dwellings. House dust mites are a common cause of asthma and allergic symptoms worldwide. The mite's gut contains potent digestive enzymes (notably proteases) that persist in their feces and are major inducers of allergic reactions such as wheezing. The mite's exoskeleton can also contribute to allergic reactions.