Face Mites Trace Ancestors

The mites that live on your face belong to the arachnid group, which makes them relatives of ticks and spiders. They feed on skin oils, hide in pores and hair follicles, and crawl out at night to mate while you sleep. Researchers have also found that their genetic lineages often track human ancestry because face mites have traveled with human populations for so long. Therefore, they can also help scientists trace where your ancestors came from.

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