Scientists working on anti-mosquito laser

[Lord of the Abyss]

Zap !

BELLEVUE, Wash. -- A quarter-century ago, American rocket scientists proposed the "Star Wars" defense system to knock Soviet missiles from the skies with laser beams. Some of the same scientists are now aiming their lasers at another airborne threat: the mosquito.

In a lab in this Seattle suburb, researchers in long white coats recently stood watching a small glass box of bugs. Every few seconds, a contraption 100 feet away shot a beam that hit the buzzing mosquitoes, one by one, with a spot of red light.

The insects survived this particular test, which used a non-lethal laser. But if these researchers have their way, the Cold War missile-defense strategy will be reborn as a WMD: Weapon of Mosquito Destruction.

"We'd be delighted if we destabilize the human-mosquito balance of power," says Jordin Kare, an astrophysicist who once worked at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the birthplace of some of the deadliest weapons known to man. More recently he worked on the mosquito laser, built from parts bought on eBay.

The scientists' actual target is malaria, which is caused by a parasite transmitted when certain mosquitoes bite people. Ended in the U.S. decades ago, malaria remains a major global public-health threat, killing about 1 million people annually.

Efforts to eradicate the disease languished for years until recently.

Big-money donors like Bill Gates, the United Nations, the U.K. and non-profit such as Malaria No More re-launched the war on malaria, devoting billions of dollars to vaccines, methods of prevention and novel ways to kill mosquitoes.

"You can say we are very lucky -- the right place at the right time," says astrophysicist Szabolcs Márka, a Columbia University specialist in black holes. He has a grant to develop a "mosquito flashlight" designed to knock out the bugs' eye-like sensors.

Scientists around the world are testing ways of thwarting mosquitoes with microwaves, rancid odors, poisoned blood and other weapons that disrupt the sense of sight, smell and heat mosquitoes use to find their prey.

There's work on genetically altering a bacterium to infect and kill a mosquito, and a project to build a malaria-free mosquito genetically enhanced to overtake the natural kind.

There's also a researcher in Japan who thinks mosquitoes can be a force for good. He is working on transforming them into "flying syringes" that deliver vaccines with every bite.

The mosquito laser is the brainchild of Lowell Wood, an astrophysicist who worked with Edward Teller, father of the hydrogen bomb and architect of the original plan to use lasers to shield America from the rain of Soviet nuclear arms.

President Ronald Reagan embraced the idea in the 1980s, dubbing it the Strategic Defense Initiative.

Senator Edward Kennedy mocked it as "Star Wars." Eventually it became a footnote in history.

Its rebirth as a bug killer came thanks to Nathan Myhrvold, a former Microsoft Corp. executive who now runs Intellectual Ventures LLC., a company that collects patents and funds inventions. His old boss, Mr. Gates, had asked him to explore new ways of combating malaria. At a brainstorming session in 2007, Dr. Wood, the Star Wars architect, suggested using lasers on mosquitoes.

Soon Dr. Wood, Dr. Kare and another Star Wars scientist teamed with an entomologist with a Ph.D in mosquito behavior and other experts. They killed their first mosquito with a hand-held laser in early 2008.

"We like to think back then we made some contribution to the ending of the Cold War" with the Star Wars program, Dr. Kare says. "Now we're just trying to make a dent in a war that's actually gone on a lot longer and claimed a lot more lives."

The scientists envision their technology might one day be used to draw a laser barrier around a house or village that could kill or blind the bugs. Or, laser-equipped drone aircraft could track bugs by radar, sweeping the sky with death-dealing photons.

They now face one big challenge: deciding how strong to make the weapon. The laser has to be weak enough to not harm humans and smart enough to avoid hitting useful bugs. "You could kill billions of mosquitoes a night, and you could do so without harming butterflies," says Mr. Myhrvold.

Demonstrating the technology recently, Dr. Kare, Mr. Myhrvold and other researchers stood below a small shelf mounted on the wall about 10 feet off the ground. On the shelf were five Maglite flashlights, a zoom lens from a 35mm camera, and the laser itself -- a little black box with an assortment of small lenses and mirrors. On the floor below sat a Dell personal computer that is the laser's brain.

The glass box of mosquitoes across the room is an old 10-gallon fish tank. Each time a beam strikes a bug, the computer makes a gunshot sound to signal a direct hit.

To locate individual mosquitoes, light from the flashlights hits the tank across the room, creating tiny mosquito silhouettes on reflective material behind it. The zoom lens picks up the shadows and feeds the data to the computer, which controls the laser and fires it at the bug.

In a video, researchers showed what happens when they deploy deadly rays.

A mosquito hovers into view. Suddenly, it bursts into flame. A thin plume of smoke rises as the mosquito falls. At the bottom of the screen, the carcass smolders.

There's ready supply of fresh recruits nearby, where an intern feeds a saucer of goat blood to a colony of anopheles stephensi, one species of mosquito that transmits malaria.

Not only can the laser target a mosquito, it can also tell a male from a female based on wing-beat.

That's a crucial distinction, since only females feed on blood and thus transmit disease. Males in the wild eat sugary plant nectar. (In the lab they get raisins.)

"If you really were a purist, you could only kill the females, not the males," Mr. Myhrvold says. But since they're mosquitoes, he says, he'll probably "just slay them all."

Whether or not it turns out to be a practical anti-mostiquito defense, zapping them with lasers is certainly one of the coolest methods I've heard of.

[Patrick Degan]

My inner-Blofeld is tickled by this idea.

[Molyneux]

I'm worried about the effect this could have on local insectivores...but at the same time, the sheer mad-science of the concept is wonderfully cracked.

[Koolaidkirby]

"We'd be delighted if we destabilize the human-mosquito balance of power," says Jordin Kare''

I love seeing scientists with a sense of humor

[Singular Intellect]

I'm sorry, but I just can't resist temptation here:

To the recognized Mosquito Empire,

As of today, March 16 / 2009, the human empire formally declares full out war upon your existence.

Too long have we stood by while minor but countless clashes between humans armed with swatters and limited technology faced off against bugs with enormous numerical superiority.

This state of affairs will not longer be allowed to continue. Your existence and indifference to the human casualties your massive armies of fliers has incurred upon us will not longer be tolerated.

No mercy shall be shown, no quarter given, few prisoners taken. Humanity shall bring down the full force of its intellectual and technological might upon your species with the single minded goal of realizing your extinction as a free species. Your biological uniqueness will only survive in what manner we see fit to suit our own purposes and eventual conquest of all other life.

Your males will not be safe. Your females will not be safe. Your larva will not be safe. Your fall at our hands will serve as an example to all other species of what happens when a species dares to challenge humanity as the supreme ruling species of this planet.

May whatever deity you believe in have mercy on your souls...for we shall surely not.

Sincerely, The Human Empire

[Darth Yoshi]

That's fucking awesome. I wonder if there are lag issues, though.

"If you really were a purist, you could only kill the females, not the males," Mr. Myhrvold says. But since they're mosquitoes, he says, he'll probably "just slay them all."

Wipe them out. All of them.[/Palpatine]

[Shinova]

I can just feel how much these people are enjoying their mad scientist moment.

[Akkleptos]

Everything we can do to stop mosquitos is warranted. I totally suscribe to Singular Intellect's War Declaration. Many of us (humans ) don't realise just how lethal these little insects are, and how deadly an adversary they're to mankind.

If someone asked you what animal on Earth kills the most humans every year, what would you say? Sharks? No. Lions? Nope. Scorpions? uh uh. Snakes? No way. Chances are, the answer is buzzing around in your home, already.

Mosquitoes
2 million to 3 million deaths per year

The mosquito is the No. 1 deadliest animal in existence (kind of anti-climactic, isn’t it?). Well, before you think about brushing off this small nuisance, consider this: The anopheles mosquito is not only the most dangerous carrier of malaria in Africa, it also has the ability to adapt and come back for seconds based on odors and visual clues, waxing millions of people a year in the process. There are over 3,000 types of mosquitoes and all have the ability to transfer population-killing diseases, from malaria to West Nile virus.

[Darth Yoshi]

Everything we can do to stop mosquitos is warranted. I totally suscribe to Singular Intellect's War Declaration. Many of us (humans ) don't realise just how lethal these little insects are, and how deadly an adversary they're to mankind.

I'm probably just nitpicking, but I've never seen "they are" abbreviated in that context, and I don't think that's incorrect. But anyway...

If someone asked you what animal on Earth kills the most humans every year, what would you say? Sharks? No. Lions? Nope. Scorpions? uh uh. Snakes? No way. Chances are, the answer is buzzing around in your home, already.

Mosquitoes
2 million to 3 million deaths per year

The mosquito is the No. 1 deadliest animal in existence (kind of anti-climactic, isn’t it?). Well, before you think about brushing off this small nuisance, consider this: The anopheles mosquito is not only the most dangerous carrier of malaria in Africa, it also has the ability to adapt and come back for seconds based on odors and visual clues, waxing millions of people a year in the process. There are over 3,000 types of mosquitoes and all have the ability to transfer population-killing diseases, from malaria to West Nile virus.

Most people discount mosquitoes because they don't directly cause deaths, methinks. I mean, top-tier predators are fairly obvious about it, what with the whole maiming and crushing thing that tends to happen. Other arthropods ping the public consciousness because they generally either cause an allergic reaction or get you with a toxin. But mosquitoes? Pfft, all they do is bite... What do you mean, I got probably got malaria from one? That's crazy talk.

[Akkleptos]

I'm probably just nitpicking, but I've never seen "they are" abbreviated in that context, and I don't think that's incorrect. But anyway...

Yeah, it does look strange. But seeing as it is not a short answer ("Yes, they are") where contractions are not allowed, but rather a full affirmative sentence... Maybe it's just untypical? I'll look it up.

Most people discount mosquitoes because they don't directly cause deaths, methinks. I mean, top-tier predators are fairly obvious about it, what with the whole maiming and crushing thing that tends to happen. Other arthropods ping the public consciousness because they generally either cause an allergic reaction or get you with a toxin. But mosquitoes? Pfft, all they do is bite... What do you mean, I got probably got malaria from one? That's crazy talk.

A mosquito bites you. You die from the infection it gave you (well, if you live in a place where proper health care is unavailable/far away/too expensive). The mosquito killed you. Multiply that by the millions each year, and you'll get the idea.

The thing is millions of people wouldn't have died (at least, not when they did) if it hadn't been for the mosquitoes transmitting them the diseases that killed them. Ergo, the mosquitoes killed them. Would you say that if a man had inoculated all of them with the infectious agent using a syringe, he wouldn't have commited murder?

[Darth Yoshi]

Oh, I agree wholeheartedly. I was just throwing a reason that for mosquitoes not being recognized by the public as the hellspawn that they are.

[salm]

This thing seems rather useless for fighting malaria. Lasers need electrical power. Only poor people die of malaria. Poor people can´t aford lasers and electrical power.

But then, it´s still the coolest thing i´ve ever heard of. We need this thing.

[Zablorg]

I think the vaccine dispensing mosquitoes is a hilariously bizarre idea. How cool would it be if they actually conquered the niche filled by mosquitoes? In a hundred years people could be taught that the species you see on a regular basis were genetically to beat a nuisance. That's fucking awesome.

How soon until we can destroy the cockroach genus?

[Zixinus]

"We'd be delighted if we destabilize the human-mosquito balance of power," says Jordin Kare

This has to be quoted.

We need this thing.

Same here. Particularly because installing mosquito-nets on my windows would be very problematic.

[Sky Captain]

This is just totally AWESOME.

I remember few years ago in a sleepless night because of cloud of mosquitoes in my room I thought it would be very cool to have a computer controlled laser turret that zaps any mosquito that flies through my open window. No need to spray toxic anti mosquito chemicals all over your house. Now I`m happy someone else had the same idea and a working prototype laser mosquito defense system is built. Just can`t wait when this system comes into mass production.

Although problem could be a laser powerful enough to fry a mosquito also could accidentally take out human eye.

[Solauren]

Step 1 - Identify Species with better maneuverability and limited target profile then Humans, limit to invertibraes
Huge list

Step 2 - Using list from Step 1, identify those that are predatory to humans
Huge list

Step 3 - Using list from Step 2, identify those that humans don't like
huge list

Step 4 - Using list from Step 3, identify those with highest number of kills of humans, or assited kills.
Mosquitos - 3,000,000+

Step 5 - Develop weapon systems designed to target and destroy identified lifeform, that humans will say 'cool!' to.
Lasers! (Sharks not included)

Step 6 - Mass Produce that system.
Pending

Step 7 - Use capital to scale up model to be able to affect humans

Step 8 - Install models everywhere under the claim of 'computerized pest control'

Step 9 - Take over all units and rule the world.


This is Skynet's newest approach....

But man, COOL! Blast those bugger from the sky.
Can you make ones that run on batteries? It would make walking my dog in the summer so much nicer....

[open_sketchbook]

Finally. Malaria has killed something like half the people that have ever died, ever. During the Civil War more Union soldiers died from malaria then enemy action. Mosquitoes have it coming so bad.

Remember DDT? It's round two motherfuckers.

[Lord of the Abyss]

Can you make ones that run on batteries? It would make walking my dog in the summer so much nicer....

A laser hat ? Very Bond-ish.

[Molyneux]

Can you make ones that run on batteries? It would make walking my dog in the summer so much nicer....

A laser hat ? Very Bond-ish.

Better than corks 'round the brim...and I am sad to say that I only know of that one thanks to Discworld.
If they market it as a death ray, I think I will have no choice but to get one of these.

[Feil]

It requires a screen and fixed projectors. In other words, no mobile units.

[salm]

Remember DDT? It's round two motherfuckers.

DDT is actually still being used in several countries.

[Count Chocula]

Yeah, it does look strange. But seeing as it is not a short answer ("Yes, they are") where contractions are not allowed, but rather a full affirmative sentence... Maybe it's just untypical? I'll look it up.

"They're" is a proper abbreviation, but not in the context you used. However, I infer from other posts that you live in Mexico so you definitely get a grammar pass (watch out for that grenade!).

To the OP: Hell yeah! Kill them all and let God sort them out...they're His abominations after all. I have yet to see any written description of a useful purpose served by mosquitos. Spiders may be completely different from any other insectile life on this planet (I've actually seen a posting that avers they're alien!) but they at least fit ecological niches.

Once the mad scientists whip the mosquito problem, I'd like to see them up the wattage, add a steerable beam, and zap the fuck out of every type of roach that infests Florida. Yeccchhh.

[tchizek]

It requires a screen and fixed projectors. In other words, no mobile units.

For now...for now...I hold out hope that they will build a mobile version. I like the vision of little robot drones flying around the neighborhood shooting down mosquito's.

Or anti-mosquito laser hats or anti-mosquito shirts or...or..bwahahahah </madsciencemoment>.

[Elfdart]

Can you make ones that run on batteries? It would make walking my dog in the summer so much nicer....

A laser hat ? Very Bond-ish.

I want hats with frickin' laser beams!

[Tahlan]

What are the bats going to eat when all the skeeters are gone? (Actually, bats don't eat all that many skeeters after all. Article.) It warms the cockles of my heart to think that bats eat a couple hundred of the wretched little parasites every night. Bats, lasers, bug zappers---whatever the method---it's great by me, because the only good mosquito is a dead mosquito.