Youtube daily google Jul 20 2017

GOOGLE'S SISTER COMPANY IS SET TO RELEASE 20 MILLION BACTERIA-INFECTED MOSQUITOES IN

CALIFORNIA

Google�s sister company Verily, which is part of the life sciences division at Alphabet,

has launched an audacious trial this week which will involve the release of 20 million

bacteria ridden male mosquitos into the wild in Fresno.

It is hoped that if the project is a success that it will dramatically reduce the incidence

of mosquito vector borne diseases in the region.

KEEP YOUR WINDOWS CLOSED The bacteria that the mosquitos in the study have been infected

with is called Wolbachia pipientis.

This bacteria is one of the most common pathogens in the world which has a disruptive effect

on the reproductive system of insects.

According to previous studies, around 76% of all insects are affected by the bacteria

which is known to make them sterile.

It is hoped that once the infected male insects are released into the wild that they will

mate with the females, infecting them and making them sterile as well.

It is hoped that in time these measures will result in a drastic curtailing of the mosquito

population in California.

According to representatives from the company, the release of the male insects will be done

in one-week stages, with a million of the infected insects being released every single

week.

It is hoped that if the project is a success that it will significantly reduce the incidence

of mosquito borne illnesses such as yellow fever, dengue fever, chikungunya and the Zika

virus.

At this current time, these diseases are not identified as being a particular threat to

those living in California.

However, as the climate shifts in the coming years, it is expected that mosquitos and the

deadly viruses that they can carry will spread to the region with potentially catastrophic

consequences.

In order to prevent the public health emergency that could well emerge in the future, Verily

decided to get ahead of the game and reduce the mosquito population immediately.

Other similar projects aimed at culling wild mosquito populations with bacteria have been

trailed in various areas before, including Fresno.

However, this is the largest such project to date.

If it is successful, then it may have major implications for mosquito control and the

restriction of the disease they can cause

in

the future.