Google is seeking federal approval to release millions of mosquitoes in California and Florida as part of an effort to reduce the spread of mosquito-borne diseases.
The project, developed through Google's long-running Debug program, would release up to 32 million male mosquitoes carrying Wolbachia, a naturally occurring bacterium that prevents successful reproduction with wild female mosquitoes.
When these males mate with female mosquitoes, the resulting eggs fail to hatch, gradually reducing local mosquito populations. Because only female mosquitoes bite humans, Google says the program would not increase the number of mosquitoes capable of spreading disease.
The initiative targets species linked to illnesses such as dengue, Zika, yellow fever, West Nile virus, and St. Louis encephalitis.
The proposal is currently under review by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which is accepting public feedback before deciding whether to grant permission for the releases to move forward.