Google wants to release 32 million mosquitoes to save lives

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases via Unsplash

Google wants to release 32 million mosquitoes in the US. In the scientific program "Debug," a natural bacterium is introduced into male mosquitoes. Those male mosquitoes are then released into the wild with a clear task.

You may be under the impression that mosquitoes are only a nuisance to you. But the army of mosquitoes at Google's disposal is actually extremely useful.

After all, the American tech giant wants to "stop bad bugs with good bugs" through its Debug program. Google is asking the U.S. government for permission to release up to 32 million mosquitoes into the wild in Florida and California.

The 32 million "good bugs" are male mosquitoes that were administered a natural bacterium called wolbachia, which makes them sterile. According to Google, when they then mate with wild females, eggs are produced that will not hatch, thus reducing the next generation of mosquitoes. And because male mosquitoes do not sting, there is also no risk of disease transmission.

Mosquitoes kill more people than any other animal combined by spreading diseases including West Nile virus, dengue, malaria, Zika and more, highlights The Guardian.

The release of male mosquitoes sterilized by wolbachia bacteria has been done for about 15 years, notes The Palm Beach Post. Similar programs have already had success in Singapore and parts of Florida. If Google's application is approved by the Environmental Protection Agency, it would be one of the largest voluntary releases of insects in U.S. history.

But why Google? Well, it's because the Debug Project is not only a biological experiment, it's also a massive automation and engineering problem that depends on Google's technological and AI skills.

©National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases via Unsplash