At first glance, the idea sounds absurd: release even more mosquitoes so that people get sick less often. But Google’s Debug project uses insect biology to reduce the spread of dengue fever, Zika virus and other dangerous infections.
Debug is a Google biotech project. Its method is based on the bacterium Wolbachia, which interferes with the reproduction of mosquitoes that carry dangerous infections. Scientists breed bacteria-infected males in a laboratory and release them into the wild. The males do not bite people, but after mating with local females, the eggs do not develop or do not hatch. Over time, the population of dangerous carriers may decrease.
Trials in Singapore in May 2026 showed a 70% drop in dengue cases within a few months after the mosquitoes were released. The project is now seeking approval to use the method in California and Florida.
Source: New Atlas
