New laser to wipe out mosquitoes developed

February 18, 2010 09:03 pm | Updated November 16, 2021 10:07 am IST - Washington

A mosquito fills with blood on a human arm. The new laser system can allegedly distinguish between different insects and thus target only mosquitoes.

A mosquito fills with blood on a human arm. The new laser system can allegedly distinguish between different insects and thus target only mosquitoes.

Experts have created a new laser system that zaps mosquitoes without harming other insects.

Intellectual Ventures showcased the system that can allegedly distinguish between different insects and thus target only mosquitoes while others, such as butterflies and bumblebees, go unharmed.

The invention is a part of a larger bid to combat malaria that kills nearly a million people every year, the National Geographic reported.

The company claimed all the laser parts came from inexpensive consumer electronics.

The system can apparently also distinguish between male and female mosquitoes over their wing beats, pointing towards its significance since only female mosquitoes attack humans.

0 / 0
Sign in to unlock member-only benefits!
  • Access 10 free stories every month
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.