Millions of special mosquitoes could soon help protect people from dangerous illnesses like dengue and Zika. Google's parent company, Alphabet, wants permission to release 32 million male mosquitoes in California and Florida to reduce mosquito numbers.
Male mosquitoes do not bite humans or carry diseases. Scientists give these male mosquitoes a natural bacteria called Wolbachia. When these males mate with wild female mosquitoes, the females lay eggs that cannot hatch. Over time, fewer young mosquitoes grow up, and the local population quickly shrinks.
This method was already tested in Queensland, Australia. During a project called "Debug Innisfail," scientists released about three million sterile male mosquitoes into several towns. Within four weeks, the number of mosquitoes dropped significantly. One year later, some towns had 95% fewer disease-carrying mosquitoes.
The Australian trial showed that releasing male mosquitoes is safe and effective for large areas. Because these mosquitoes only bite humans and live near cities, removing them does not harm the local environment. Scientists hope this technology will help cities around the world stop mosquito-borne diseases without using harmful chemicals.