The word ‘malaria’ means ‘bad air’, but new research suggests the disease may actually make its victims smell good to mosquitoes. Researchers in Switzerland and the US found that the malaria parasite alters the smell of infected mice, making them more attractive to mosquitoes looking for a feed. The team say the discovery could lead to new ways to curb the spread of malaria – which killed over 600,000 people in 2012 – and new diagnostic tools.