Will a working anti-mosquito laser weapon be deployed to combat malaria by 2010?
Background: 
A laser gun that kills malaria-carrying mosquitoes by the millions is being developed by American astrophysicists. The so-called weapon of mosquito destruction (WMD), as it is dubbed, detects the sound of female mosquitoes' beating wings and fires a laser beam that burns the targeted insect. The laser would be able to sweep an area and "toast millions of mosquitoes in a few minutes," Dr. Jordin Kare, lead scientist on the project, told CNN Monday. "The laser is able to distinguish between mosquitoes that go after people and those that aren't dangerous."
The weapon offers hope of stopping the spread of malaria, which the World Health Organization says infects 300 million people every year and kills an African child every 30 seconds. Intellectual Ventures, based in Washington, commissioned the WMD research with funding from Microsoft Corp. co-founder and ex-chairman Bill Gates, who is campaigning for the eradication of malaria. The company is run by former Microsoft Corp. executive Nathan Myhrvold. The WMD research involves scientists who took part in the research for the U.S. "Star Wars" anti-missile defense system during the Cold War. (Windsor Genova - AHN News Writer)
'Star Wars' scientists create laser gun to kill mosquitoes (CNN.com)
YouTube Mosquito Death Ray Spoof Now Real Research Project (Information Week)
Hear the buzz? Not much longer...
A laser gun that kills malaria-carrying mosquitoes by the millions is being developed by American astrophysicists. The so-called weapon of mosquito destruction (WMD), as it is dubbed, detects the sound of female mosquitoes' beating wings and fires a laser beam that burns the targeted insect. The laser would be able to sweep an area and "toast millions of mosquitoes in a few minutes," Dr. Jordin Kare, lead scientist on the project, told CNN Monday. "The laser is able to distinguish between mosquitoes that go after people and those that aren't dangerous."
The weapon offers hope of stopping the spread of malaria, which the World Health Organization says infects 300 million people every year and kills an African child every 30 seconds. Intellectual Ventures, based in Washington, commissioned the WMD research with funding from Microsoft Corp. co-founder and ex-chairman Bill Gates, who is campaigning for the eradication of malaria. The company is run by former Microsoft Corp. executive Nathan Myhrvold. The WMD research involves scientists who took part in the research for the U.S. "Star Wars" anti-missile defense system during the Cold War. (Windsor Genova - AHN News Writer)
'Star Wars' scientists create laser gun to kill mosquitoes (CNN.com)
YouTube Mosquito Death Ray Spoof Now Real Research Project (Information Week)
Settlement details: As reported by a major mainstream news source. NOTE: to settle as the second option, news sources must explicitly state that the weapon is under development but not yet ready to roll out; to settle as the third option, news sources must explicitly state that the entire thing was a hoax or prank.
Forecast history %
| Yes; zapping operations will commence |
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| No; the weapon won't be ready yet |
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| No; the whole thing is a hoax |
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Question suspends in 1 year
- Activity: H$10,087 |
- Predictions: 47 |
Comments: 3
Suspend date: Fri 31st Dec 2010 11:59pm PST (1 year to go)
Initial likelihoods: Yes; zapping operations will commence: 30%, No; the weapon won't be ready yet: 50%, No; the whole thing is a hoax: 20%
Action history:
Changed Description Tue 17th Mar 2:09am PST by 
sqlman![[Admin]](http://www.hubdub.com/images/icon_admin.gif "This user is an admin")
: show details
sqlman: show details ... .jpg" height="247" width="312"> <"><br/> <div style="padding: 3px; ... %;"><i>A</i></div></div> <><br/> <br/> A laser gun ... those that aren't dangerous." <."<br/> <br/> <div style="margin: 0px 20px 30px; width: 425px; height: 344px; float: left;"><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/wSIWpFPkYrk&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/wSIWpFPkYrk&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></div> <br/> The weapon offers hope ... . (Windsor Genova - AHN News Writer) <)<br/> <br/> <a href="http:// ... kill mosquitoes</a> (CNN.com) <)<br/> <a href="http://www. ... Research Project </a> (Information Week))<br/> <br/> <div style="margin: 0px 20px 30px; width: 425px; height: 344px; float: left;"><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/wSIWpFPkYrk&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/wSIWpFPkYrk&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></object></div><br/>
Changed Description Tue 17th Mar 2:09am PST by sqlman: show details
sqlman: show details ... a> (Information Week)<br/> <br/> <div style="margin: 0px 20px 30px; width: 425px; height: 344px; float: left;"><object height="344" width="425">< ... " height="344" width="425"></object></div><br/>
Changed Description Tue 17th Mar 2:10am PST by sqlman: show details
sqlman: show details ... center; font-size: 120%;"><i>A</The end of the road?</i></div></div><br/> <br/>
Changed Description Tue 17th Mar 2:15am PST by sqlman: show details
sqlman: show details ... 255, 255, 255); color: rgb(255, 0, 0, 255); font-weight: 900; text-align ... center; font-size: 120%;"><i>TheHear endthe ofbuzz? Not themuch road?</longer...</i></div></div><br/> <br/>
Changed Description Tue 17th Mar 2:16am PST by sqlman: show details
sqlman: show details ... margin: 0px 20px 30px; width: 312px200px; height: 247px158px; float: right;"><img src="http ... com/hdimg/mosquito.jpg" height="247158" width="312200"><br/> <div style="padding: 3px
Changed Description Tue 17th Mar 2:16am PST by sqlman: show details
sqlman: show details ... text-align: center; font-size: 120110%;"><i>Hear the buzz? Not
Changed Description Tue 17th Mar 2:19am PST by sqlman: show details
sqlman: show details ... mosquitoes' beating wings and fires a laser beam that burnburns the targeted insect. The laser ... every 30 seconds. Intellectual Ventures , based in Washington , commissioned the WMD research with
Changed Description Tue 17th Mar 2:20am PST by sqlman: show details
sqlman: show details ... height="344" width="425"></object><br/> <br/>
Changed Description Tue 17th Mar 2:24am PST by sqlman: show details
sqlman: show details ... 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 255125); font-weight: 900; text-align
Suspend date: Fri 31st Dec 2010 11:59pm PST (1 year to go) details 
Get widget!Predictions (47)
trashmagnet
predicted No; the weapon won't be ready yet (H$50 at 64%)
predicted No; the weapon won't be ready yet (H$1,205 at 59%)
predicted No; the weapon won't be ready yet (H$100 at 53%)
predicted No; the weapon won't be ready yet (H$50 at 52%)
predicted No; the whole thing is a hoax (H$100 at 33%)Comments (3)
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