Malaria is a huge problem worldwide, so it's no surprise to anyone that plenty of people spend lots of time trying to think of ways to rid the world of mosquitoes, prime movers of the disease. Nathan Myhrvold's company Intellectual Ventures Labs (and former chief technology officer at Microsoft) is focusing on just that. Using widely available and common electronics parts, Intellectual Ventures has made lasers which can kill mosquitoes mid-flight -- at a rate of about 50 to 100 per second. Myhrvold first publicly demonstrated this laser (which is made of parts of printers, digital cameras, and projectors) at the TED conference the other day, using hundreds of mosquitoes in a clear glass case to make his point. The laser's software determines the size and shape of the target before deciding whether or not to shoot, so, for instance -- it wouldn't take aim at a person or a bumblebee. The lasers could be used to protect hospitals and clinics in areas with high mosquito populations and in areas with a high rate of malaria infestation. Now, this is surprisingly
not the
first time we've seen such a trick -- though it is the first time we've seen video evidence of it working. There are some insanely informative (and murderous) videos at the source link. Be sure to check them out.
Update: Video is after the break.
posted February 14th 2010 9:02AM
Can I make one of these?
@FallenArms3
Me too...I want one!
@dand just give us those lightsabers now and we'll kill em ourselves
@FallenArms3
Yeah my U.V light "bug zapper" is soooo out of date now..
@FallenArms3
Finally! I have been dreaming of one of these for years! I would pay $1000 for one. I freaking HATE mosquitoes.
@FallenArms3
Personally, I think this is the coolest invention I have heard of... however...
What happens to the ones already biting you, or sitting on your leg, or maybe... your face? O.o
I'm sure they just have to work out the bugs in it.
(Can't wait until someone dubs over 'Star Wars' audio to these videos! ...This is Red 5, I'm going in...PEW! PEW!)
@FallenArms3
I'm sorry but isn't it obligitory that all laser posts start with PEW PEW PEW
@1800BelowMe
PEW PEW PEW Yes you are correct.
@FallenArms3
I'd like one too; it just gave me a major lift.
@1800BelowMe
Ha! Goes to show what you know. Mine ENDED with it. Suck on that Mr. blow. :P
@FallenArms3
Man!! just think of room stinking burning mosquito's smell just in a couple of minutes.. like it does with fly trapper. :(
I'm from Minnesota, and you've got my vote!
@Peter Fox
I have a personal, vicious hatred of mosquitoes, which is rather ironic because they seem to be universally besotted with me. If mosquitoes had naughty mags, I would probably be a centre spread.
I always feel violated when they penetrate my skin and suck on my juices. Watching that video of their wings getting melted off was like pornography for me. Forget spaceships and the microchip, this is the best thing technology has ever done for mankind.
@thunderbollock
As a Floridian, I too have a genocidal hate of mosquitoes.
@paul34
Only a fool could like mosquitos, that makes me on the other end of the scale, towards the "sane" side
Post the awesome laser killing mosquito video all other blogs have at least?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYXPqrXZ1eU
awesome
@vman81
I hate mosquitoes and I've had plenty of bites but that makes me feel a little bad for them! Add barber's adagio for strings in the background!
@Imran Its targeted at malaria stricken areas, I'd say its justified.
@Imran
Just watched it with Adagio in the background. Awesome!!
@vman81
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ki4JKy4XkC4
There's nothing I enjoy more than seeing a mosquito die in a puff of smoke.
@TheHeretic
yeah, but that last one? Scandalous! He just looked at the camera and went "WHAAAAA????"
@TheHeretic survival of the fittest~
Once PETA gets word of this they'll be all over it. Unethical treatment of mosquitoes, I can see it now.
@nachotech: Hey, the existence of mosquitoes is unethical aswell. Quid pro quo, time for payback.
@nachotech
They did complain when Obama swatted a fly, after all.
@nachotech Just give them malaria. That'll show 'em :)
"wouldn't aim at a person..."
yeah, we'll see how long that lasts.
@vlad the inhaler
you always have to start small..but maybe this will work for human sized mosquitos (aka politicians) too
Our mother nature can adapt to the most adverse conditions. But I'd like to see a mosquito try to adapt to a freaking laser in the face.
@Nitesh
One day the mosquitoes will have lasers attached to their heads, and we will reprogram their minds so that they target other mosquitoes. They will be trained to assimilate into mosquito communities and then once they are in a position of trust they will go rogue.
@thunderbollock I shall prepare for this battle between mankind and mosquitoes by stocking up on Off bug replant.
@Nitesh
This might be a nice solution in the short term, but do we really want laser resistant mosquitoes in the future? Evolution is a *****.
That's not right. I'm not from PETA or anything, but this is a little too much.
@Yankee
Yeah, it's better that humans die from malaria. I can see your point.
/sarcasm
@Yankee Like I said to the other guy, this is for malaria stricken areas. I'd say its justified.
@Yankee
So we have options here, no worry
we can spray toxic chemicals in the air for miles around cities and towns that kill them.
We can smoke them out
Swat each one one by one
OR do nothing and allow yourself to get malaria, west nile, and other deadly diseases. Your call
There is nothing a Mosquito contributes to nature, AS FAR AS I KNOW, that it would do nothing but help every animal on earth, except bats and spiders
@Yankee
Maybe spraying deadly chemicals in their "face" is better?
@Yankee Not for me. I was waiting for the body to explode in a fireball Simpsons-style in that last sequence.
@Drybones5 it is part of the food chain, so it does contribute. This would need to be used in moderation. We want to control the spread of disease... what we should try to avoid is completely eradicating mosquitoes to the point of extinction (which honestly is probably impossible short of a cataclysmic asteroid impact or the sun going boom)...
@brokensticks
Exactly. It's important to realize how much of an influence mosquitoes have on the ecosystem. Many animal's larva eat their eggs, many fish, bats, birds, and spiders eat them.
However, at the same time, this would be a perfect system to set up in the middle of a small village. Or several around the outskirts of a large village. Just enough to work like Tiki Torches, and leave the mosquitoes to do their thing other places, away from human populations.
@brokensticks Actually, out of some 2,700 species of mosquito, fewer than one hundred of the species can actually carry malaria and other mosquito-borne illnesses. It has been suggested even by biologists and ecologists that those species that can carry disease should be intentionally eliminated to the point of extinction.
Man I - I feel so sad now - that video is intense
Sweet video. Looks like something you would see on MythBusters.
I agree that this can help but wow that's a pretty crazy video to watch. Bug was just chilling there and then bam!
Pew Pew Pew
Poor guys never saw it coming....
but you know what would be cooler than this?
An army of flying mosquitos with frickin laser beams.
One problem is that with no Mosquitos how would have the dinosaurs from Jurassic park been made
I was excited, but then realized I had misread the headline. Wake me up when someone develops "Laser Killing Mosquito's"!
I can see it now...set this thing up on the roof of your RV at your favorite campsite and let the mosquito-killing mayhem begin!