Bloomington, IN -- Scientists have isolated a naturally occurring chemical from oxen that can repel mosquito bites -- and that's no bull.

Chemists at the Indiana University Bloomington say they have synthetically reproduced a natural skin secretion from the gaur, an Asian wild ox, which preliminary studies suggest keeps the skeeters at bay.

The project's head researcher P. Andrew Evans says gaur acid, or bovinic acid, also occurs in many type of sheep.

Evans says it may have uses fighting the West Nile virus and Yellow Fever, but more testing is needed to prove its effectiveness.

The upside if it is successful is that he says it's easy to reproduce large quantities of gaur.

In Evans opinion, "It's interesting that animals prone to these types of infections have developed their own resistance to it. Nature has beaten us to it."

Solve puzzles and create your dream aquarium! Search through a dazzling trip down memory lane.

More Weird News From 2004-09-23 The day's offbeat stories from around the world. • Around The Weird: Bizarre News Briefs • Flash Lites: Rip 'N' Read Pop Culture Recap • Celebrity Shoe Auction Will Test Singers' Creativity • Ox Secretion Is Natural Mosquito Repellant -- No Bull • Executive Garage Band Gives New Meaning To Corporate Rock • New York Hotel Hosts Worlds Largest Pajama Party (Sep. 23) • Tomato Grower Stewing Over Ugly Tomatoes • Ryan Starr Not Letting Career Be 'Idol' • Celebrity Caterer Offering New Wedding To Spears • 'Apprentice' Star Dying To Move From Wall Street To 'Sesame Street' • The Messiah Is A 7-Foot-Tall David Hasselhoff Lookalike   « Current Weird News Stories