Bill Gates Drops $1m on Laser-Based Malaria Fighter
4th November 2011
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has awarded a $1m grant to an astrophysicist developing a laser-based solution to a decidedly terrestrial problem: malaria-spreading mosquitoes.
How many swatters would that buy?
“I wanted to apply my astrophysics, optics, laser expertise towards some humanitarian goal that can help people,” says Columbia University associate professor Szabolcs Márka in video outlining his laser “light wall”.
And the $1 million doesn’t hurt, either.
November 4th, 2011 at 08:51
How much DDT would that buy if Silent Spring devotees hadn’t put bugs ahead of people?
November 4th, 2011 at 14:13
“put bugs ahead of people”? Cathy, are you feeling alright?
Kill off all the bugs, and the stuff that eat the bugs die. Then the stuff that eats the stuff that eats the bugs die. Eventually the people who eat the stuff, etc., also die. Not to mention that DDT in itself is highly toxic and stays around for years, and is quite capable of killing people on its own without having to wait for the collapse of the food chain to do it.
But if you’re quite convinced otherwise, I have some leftover Agent Orange you can use to trim your shrubs…just don’t stand downwind. For a week.