Weapons of mass mosquito destruction.

Posted at 5:54 PM on March 18, 2009 by Bob Collins (3 Comments)
Filed under: Health, Tech

Here's another bonus, courtesy of my fill-in work this week on Future Tense:

Picture this: Malaria-carrying mosquitoes are heading toward a village. A drone aircraft, armed with a laser weapon, blankets the village, killing the mosquitoes, sparing everything -- and everyone -- else.

Astrophysicist Jordin Kare has spent his career doing things many people consider far fetched. He hunted for supernova explosions with an automated telescope, and designed interstellar propulsion systems. Now, he and astrophysicist Lowell Wood -- they also worked on President Reagan's Star Wars initiative -- are working on building the laser weapon the mosquitoes.

Life imitates art. It was just a few years ago when this spoof went viral:

But this is no joke. It's serious business with serious Bill Gates-like money behind it.

I know what you're thinking. "Give me one of those babies and a warm summer night." And while it's true that Jordin Kare says he wouldn't mind seeing his project be used for that, it's not the priority.

Here's an extended interview with Jordin Kare. Listen

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Comments (3)

Sign me up! Somehow missed the "Order yours today!" And if you call now we will give you a second system absolutely free!!!! Just 3 easy payments of $19.99 per month.

Posted by Minn Whaler | March 18, 2009 8:07 PM

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This is so bizzare! Its a joke right. Please tell me this is a joke. If its not, someone please ask these scieintists to solve some real problems - like energy independence or cancer or something.

Posted by Adi | March 19, 2009 9:03 AM

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I don't think you listened to the piece, Adi. Malaria IS a real problem and that's what these scientists are trying to solve. 1-3 million people a year -- mostly in poor countries -- die each year from malaria.

Posted by Bob Collins | March 19, 2009 9:36 AM

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