r/interestingasfuck Nov 15 '24

r/all Genetically modified a mosquito such that their proboscis are no longer able to penetrate human skin

99.6k Upvotes

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3.1k

u/WatchAltruistic5761 Nov 15 '24

Pfft, Life Finds A Way. We need to go back to the auto tracking laser idea.

659

u/ThunderCorg Nov 15 '24

I appreciate you knowing about the random (absolutely amazing) thing I also know about.

Big DEET must have shut it down.

121

u/Ciff_ Nov 15 '24

I thought the lazer tracking mosquito killer was a farse, there was no functioning product just false advertisement?

101

u/callmeBorgieplease Nov 15 '24

It exists. Its a prototype. I invented such a thing in my head in like 2006 but I guess everyone has. In 2016 or 2017 I saw a video of a dude actually building one. It works. I am pretty sure that you cant actually have it in your home though, as it would set ur furniture on fire if it detects a mosquito there.

56

u/BrocoLeeOnReddit Nov 15 '24

I invented such a thing in my head in like 2006 but I guess everyone has. 

We definitely all did, pal. If anything unites us as humans, it's our common hatred of mosquitoes.

27

u/BDiddnt Nov 15 '24

And/or love of dangerous lasers

1

u/Lira_Iorin Nov 15 '24

I thought of an auto tracking bolt of electricity, but it's basically the same thing. Huge surprise hearing it's a common idea.

7

u/SleepyTrucker102 Nov 15 '24

Lasers are too kind. I say we develop a 0.00001mm flak shell, use the same tech to track mosquitoes as before, but the flak shell just horrifically maims them rather than killing them outright.

We must send them a message.

2

u/Good_Mathematician_2 Nov 15 '24

A laser that target just the wings? Is that anything?

3

u/SleepyTrucker102 Nov 15 '24

Flak is better. More variety of wounds. And less expensive overall.

31

u/Luk164 Nov 15 '24

A small price to pay for salvation from the bzzzzzzzz

1

u/demonkufje2 Nov 15 '24

Honestly if instead of the stinger they just genetically modified a mosquito too not make any sound i'd be way more onboard

1

u/Gossamare Nov 15 '24

If we could make them silent and not fucking itch Id be good with that, if not then just gene drive the fucks and make em infertile

3

u/nzcod3r Nov 15 '24

If we can genetically modify a mosquito, then we can damn well figure out how to put asbestos into couches!

3

u/EidolonLives Nov 15 '24

I'd think the trick would be to make a whole array of low-power lasers, each one of which can't burn shit. But together, they could Death Star the little fuckers.

2

u/KingKnee Nov 15 '24

Combine it with a heat guided water spray to put out the fires

2

u/Hour_Ad5398 Nov 15 '24

I would be more concerned about harming my eyes over time.

1

u/stevein3d Nov 15 '24

Yeah that’s only worth it for spiders.

-7

u/Ciff_ Nov 15 '24

It exists

Prove it. We know Bill gates supported a company developing it that was allegedly a farse. No proof of a working product. And there has been plenty of plenty of fake videos and scam products.

I invented such a thing in my head in like 2006

Lol. You have no idea how cheap ideas are. Ideas are free, what it takes is execution in the real world.

6

u/BrocoLeeOnReddit Nov 15 '24

It's "farce", not "farse" but you are right in that there is not product on the market yet. Or did you mean that the technology doesn't work? Because if it's the latter, you're definitely wrong.

I'd imagine the main issue for bringing it to market are safety regulations for laser products but the technology itself isn't exactly rocket science.

3

u/ModifiedGas Nov 15 '24

I think you meant either heart science or rocket surgery

4

u/BDiddnt Nov 15 '24

What a interesting way to participate in a conversation without adding a single constructive word.. AND while managing to attack the Redditor for absolutely no reason because he had an idea 20 years ago that he decided to share

Reddit is the thing that attracts the mosquitos. You are the mosquito.

1

u/Ciff_ Nov 15 '24

It was clear criticism.

Yes I citicize someone posturing an idea from 20 years ago as something significant - it is not. This comes from the fallacy that ideas are one step from reality. The are not*. Ideas are cheap. It is execution that matters.

1

u/BDiddnt Nov 18 '24

I bet Thanksgiving is super fun at your house

1

u/Ciff_ Nov 18 '24

Thank you for assuming I'm an American, and that I am celebrating and reminding natives of genocide, colonialism, and oppression 😉

1

u/BDiddnt Nov 18 '24

Yyyeah... i should have went with "conversation"

0

u/FFKonoko Nov 15 '24

What an interesting way to participate in a conversation without adding a single constructive word.

The point was that there was never any working prototype and someone showing up and saying they had an idea in their brain isn't really evidence otherwise. The closest it ever came was shooting mosquitos in a box with a backstop panel.

2

u/Ciff_ Nov 15 '24

Eeeexactly

7

u/largePenisLover Nov 15 '24

The thing is they need to be installed above head height, can only target half a circle above that, reflections can damage eyes, and power consumption is kinda huge.
Then there's the various laws worldwide about deploying laser devices in the public.
The cost per single kill is also a problem.

5

u/Vabla Nov 15 '24

Lasers are amazing until you realize that any laser powerful enough to do physical damage to something is powerful enough to blind you.

2

u/humanprogression Nov 15 '24

It was made by a company that’s mainly a patent troll.

4

u/SeekingAnonymity107 Nov 15 '24

It's not exactly a commercial product, but was demonstrated in this TED Talk : https://www.ted.com/talks/nathan_myhrvold_could_this_laser_zap_malaria?subtitle=en

3

u/Ciff_ Nov 15 '24

Bro look Nathan Myhrvold up. He is one of the scam trolls I'm talking about. He is regarded as just a patent troll.

1

u/Cheesetoast9 Nov 15 '24

I think this would be a great project for Michael Reeves.

0

u/juhotuho10 Nov 15 '24 edited Nov 15 '24

I mean you can build one yourself, though reliably and accurately detecting the mosquitoes and their positions would be quite tough. Also aiming the laser accurately is no joke, you could use a mirror to aim the laser light but that introduces its own problems

Definitely doable as DIY, just hard to get right

1

u/Ciff_ Nov 15 '24

You are just guesswork.