Google seeks approval to release 64 million mosquitoes in California and Florida
Google could soon release up to 64 million bacteria-infected mosquitoes in California and Florida as part of an experimental effort to curb disease-carrying mosquito populations, reports a Qazinform News Agency correspondent.
The proposal is currently under review by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which is considering Google's application for a permit to release up to 32 million mosquitoes in each state over a two-year period.
The initiative, known as Debug, involves releasing non-biting male southern house mosquitoes (Culex quinquefasciatus) infected with the naturally occurring bacterium Wolbachia. When infected males mate with uninfected females, the resulting eggs fail to hatch, gradually reducing mosquito populations.
Scientists say the approach is both targeted and environmentally responsible.
“Wolbachia-based strategies are generally species-specific and do not introduce novel toxins into the environment,” said Karthikeyan Chandrasegaran, an assistant professor at the University of California, Riverside.
“Importantly, Wolbachia is already widespread in many insect species and is a naturally occurring bacterial symbiont rather than a genetically engineered organism,” he added.
Researchers note that the technique is not new. “It is a technique that's been used actively to control mosquito populations since around 2011,” said Eric Caragata, an assistant professor at the University of Florida.
Google plans to use automated systems and artificial intelligence to breed and sort millions of mosquitoes, ensuring that only male insects, which do not bite humans, are released.
Previous trials involving Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes have shown promising results. In Singapore, releases targeting dengue-carrying mosquitoes reduced local mosquito populations by up to 90% and lowered dengue transmission risk by 70%.
Experts believe suppressing southern house mosquitoes could also bring significant public health benefits, as the species is a known carrier of West Nile virus and other diseases.
“If suppression can be achieved safely and sustainably, the public health benefits are likely to outweigh the ecological risks based on our current understanding,” Chandrasegaran said.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that a Google employee had been arrested in the United States on allegations of using confidential company information to place profitable wagers on the prediction market platform Polymarket.