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Scientists Shoot Down Malaria-Carrying Mosquitoes with Frickin' Lasers

by Darren Murph on March 16, 2009 at 02:01 PM

Seriously, is there anything a laser can't do? A team of mad scientists in Washington have concocted a system that could essentially eliminate malaria-carrying mosquitoes with lasers, and the whole thing can be built from parts sourced on eBay. The so-called mosquito laser is credited to an idea from Lowell Wood, an astrophysicist who worked with Edward Teller, the "architect of the original plan to use lasers to shield America from the rain of Soviet nuclear arms." In theory, at least, the technology could one day be used to draw a laser barrier of sorts around a village. Of course, the trick is to make the lasers powerful enough to smoke the bugs without harming humans -- any of you Earthlings up for a clinical trial or two? [Via eHow]

Tags: disease, health, laser, lasers, malaria, Mosquitoes, rocket science, RocketScience, science, weapon

Comments

rtMar 16th 2009 2:42PM

Neutral

OK...from amongst the readership who actually know why mosquitoes should not be called "bugs"...does this photo not appear to be a tipulid (cranefly) rather than a mosquito?

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neeseeMar 16th 2009 3:29PM

Neutral

to rt -- That is a mosquito. Craneflys are skinnier and have a
larger wingspan and lack the bloodsucking proboscus. Their
abdomens are longer than that of a mosquito and they are much
larger.

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neeseeMar 16th 2009 3:34PM

Neutral

Also, the cranefly is ganglier than the mosquito and the ones we
have here in the southwest are an orangish color.

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rtMar 16th 2009 3:41PM

Neutral

Actually what appears to be a lack of biting mouthparts and "gangly legs was what first led me to post my original comment. Besides "At least 14,000 species of crane flies have been described, most of them (75%) by the specialist Charles Paul Alexander. This makes the Tipulidae the largest family of Diptera. Adults are very slender, long-legged flies that may vary in length from 2–60 mm (tropical species may exceed 100 mm)."

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