[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:00.66,0:00:03.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So I'd like to start by focusing on
Dialogue: 0,0:00:03.39,0:00:05.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the world's most dangerous animal.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:05.93,0:00:08.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, when you talk about dangerous animals,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:08.09,0:00:11.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,most people might think of lions or tigers or sharks.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:11.14,0:00:12.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But of course the most dangerous animal
Dialogue: 0,0:00:12.81,0:00:14.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is the mosquito.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:14.68,0:00:16.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The mosquito has killed more humans
Dialogue: 0,0:00:16.84,0:00:19.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,than any other creature in human history.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:19.82,0:00:21.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In fact, probably adding them all together,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:21.82,0:00:24.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the mosquito has killed more humans.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:24.00,0:00:26.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the mosquito has killed more humans than wars
Dialogue: 0,0:00:26.66,0:00:28.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and plague.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:28.36,0:00:30.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And you would think, would you not,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:30.93,0:00:34.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that with all our science, with all our advances in society,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:34.88,0:00:39.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with better towns, better civilizations, better sanitation,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:39.79,0:00:42.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,wealth, that we would get better at controlling mosquitos,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:42.99,0:00:45.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and hence reduce this disease.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:45.68,0:00:49.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that's not really the case.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:49.03,0:00:51.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If it was the case, we wouldn't have
Dialogue: 0,0:00:51.15,0:00:55.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,between 200 and 300 million cases of malaria every year,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:55.73,0:00:57.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and we wouldn't have
Dialogue: 0,0:00:57.46,0:01:01.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a million and a half deaths from malaria,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:01.40,0:01:04.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and we wouldn't have a disease
Dialogue: 0,0:01:04.10,0:01:06.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that was relatively unknown 50 years ago
Dialogue: 0,0:01:06.64,0:01:09.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,now suddenly turned into
Dialogue: 0,0:01:09.47,0:01:12.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the largest mosquito-borne virus threat that we have,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:12.70,0:01:15.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and that's called dengue fever.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:15.39,0:01:18.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So 50 years ago, pretty much no one had heard of it,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:18.12,0:01:21.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,no one certainly in the European environment.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:21.12,0:01:24.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But dengue fever now, according to the World Health Organization,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:24.75,0:01:28.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,infects between 50 and 100 million people every year,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:28.24,0:01:30.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so that's equivalent to the whole of the population
Dialogue: 0,0:01:30.57,0:01:33.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of the U.K. being infected every year.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:33.50,0:01:36.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Other estimates put that number at roughly double
Dialogue: 0,0:01:36.61,0:01:40.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that number of infections.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:40.57,0:01:45.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And dengue fever has grown in speed quite phenomenally.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:45.00,0:01:48.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In the last 50 years, the incidence of dengue
Dialogue: 0,0:01:48.06,0:01:50.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,has grown thirtyfold.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:50.27,0:01:52.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now let me tell you a little bit about what dengue fever is,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:52.78,0:01:54.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for those who don't know.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:54.36,0:01:56.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now let's assume you go on holiday.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:56.57,0:01:58.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Let's assume you go to the Caribbean,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:58.34,0:02:00.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or you might go to Mexico. You might go to Latin America,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:00.73,0:02:04.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Asia, Africa, anywhere in Saudi Arabia.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:04.69,0:02:06.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You might go to India, the Far East.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:06.41,0:02:09.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It doesn't really matter. It's the same mosquito,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:09.02,0:02:11.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and it's the same disease. You're at risk.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:11.94,0:02:14.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And let's assume you're bitten by a mosquito
Dialogue: 0,0:02:14.61,0:02:16.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that's carrying that virus.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:16.17,0:02:19.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, you could develop flu-like symptoms.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:19.17,0:02:20.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They could be quite mild.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:20.94,0:02:23.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You could develop nausea, headache,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:23.05,0:02:25.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,your muscles could feel like they're contracting,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:25.48,0:02:29.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and you could actually feel like your bones are breaking.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:29.57,0:02:31.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that's the nickname given to this disease.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:31.80,0:02:33.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's called breakbone fever,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:33.39,0:02:35.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because that's how you can feel.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:35.73,0:02:38.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now the odd thing is, is that once you've been bitten
Dialogue: 0,0:02:38.67,0:02:40.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,by this mosquito, and you've had this disease,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:40.93,0:02:43.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,your body develops antibodies,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:43.55,0:02:47.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so if you're bitten again with that strain,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:47.97,0:02:49.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it doesn't affect you.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:49.68,0:02:52.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But it's not one virus, it's four,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:52.60,0:02:55.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the same protection that gives you the antibodies
Dialogue: 0,0:02:55.58,0:02:58.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and protects you from the same virus that you had before
Dialogue: 0,0:02:58.89,0:03:01.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,actually makes you much more susceptible to the other three.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:01.96,0:03:04.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So the next time you get dengue fever,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:04.69,0:03:07.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,if it's a different strain, you're more susceptible,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:07.33,0:03:09.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you're likely to get worse symptoms,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:09.96,0:03:12.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and you're more likely to get the more severe forms,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:12.56,0:03:15.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,hemorrhagic fever or shock syndrome.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:15.83,0:03:17.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So you don't want dengue once,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:17.24,0:03:19.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and you certainly don't want it again.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:19.99,0:03:23.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So why is it spreading so fast?
Dialogue: 0,0:03:23.27,0:03:25.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the answer is this thing.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:25.36,0:03:27.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is Aedes aegypti.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:27.14,0:03:30.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now this is a mosquito that came, like its name suggests,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:30.35,0:03:33.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,out of North Africa, and it's spread round the world.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:33.79,0:03:36.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, in fact, a single mosquito will only travel
Dialogue: 0,0:03:36.92,0:03:40.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,about 200 yards in its entire life. They don't travel very far.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:40.65,0:03:43.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What they're very good at doing is hitchhiking,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:43.03,0:03:44.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,particularly the eggs.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:44.44,0:03:49.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They will lay their eggs in clear water, any pool, any puddle,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:49.14,0:03:51.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,any birdbath, any flower pot,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:51.09,0:03:53.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,anywhere there's clear water, they'll lay their eggs,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:53.83,0:03:57.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and if that clear water is near freight, it's near a port,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:57.45,0:04:00.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,if it's anywhere near transport,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:00.10,0:04:03.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,those eggs will then get transported around the world.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:03.28,0:04:05.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that's what's happened. Mankind has transported
Dialogue: 0,0:04:05.71,0:04:07.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,these eggs all the way around the world,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:07.71,0:04:11.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and these insects have infested over 100 countries,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:11.41,0:04:14.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and there's now 2.5 billion people living in countries
Dialogue: 0,0:04:14.11,0:04:17.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,where this mosquito resides.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:17.10,0:04:18.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,To give you just a couple of examples
Dialogue: 0,0:04:18.69,0:04:21.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,how fast this has happened,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:21.20,0:04:26.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in the mid-'70s, Brazil declared, "We have no Aedes aegypti,"
Dialogue: 0,0:04:26.72,0:04:29.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and currently they spend about a billion dollars now
Dialogue: 0,0:04:29.07,0:04:31.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a year trying to get rid of it, trying to control it,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:31.87,0:04:36.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,just one species of mosquito.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:36.97,0:04:40.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Two days ago, or yesterday, I can't remember which,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:40.51,0:04:42.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I saw a Reuters report that said
Dialogue: 0,0:04:42.48,0:04:45.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Madeira had had their first cases of dengue,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:45.11,0:04:48.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,about 52 cases, with about 400 probable cases.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:48.93,0:04:50.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's two days ago.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:50.74,0:04:55.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Interestingly, Madeira first got the insect in 2005,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:55.92,0:04:57.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and here we are, a few years later,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:57.98,0:04:59.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,first cases of dengue.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:59.31,0:05:02.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So the one thing you'll find is that where the mosquito goes,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:02.67,0:05:04.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,dengue will follow.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:04.98,0:05:07.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Once you've got the mosquito in your area,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:07.17,0:05:09.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,anyone coming into that area with dengue,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:09.54,0:05:12.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,mosquito will bite them, mosquito will bite somewhere else,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:12.48,0:05:13.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,somewhere else, somewhere else,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:13.45,0:05:17.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and you'll get an epidemic.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:17.56,0:05:19.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So we must be good at killing mosquitos.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:19.47,0:05:21.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I mean, that can't be very difficult.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:21.37,0:05:24.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, there's two principle ways.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:24.19,0:05:27.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The first way is that you use larvicides.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:27.56,0:05:30.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You use chemicals. You put them into water where they breed.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:30.37,0:05:33.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now in an urban environment, that's extraordinarily difficult.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:33.17,0:05:35.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You've got to get your chemical into every puddle,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:35.36,0:05:37.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,every birdbath, every tree trunk.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:37.61,0:05:40.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's just not practical.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:40.65,0:05:42.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The second way you can do it
Dialogue: 0,0:05:42.16,0:05:45.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is actually trying to kill the insects as they fly around.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:45.48,0:05:47.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is a picture of fogging.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:47.70,0:05:50.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Here what someone is doing
Dialogue: 0,0:05:50.15,0:05:53.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is mixing up chemical in a smoke
Dialogue: 0,0:05:53.06,0:05:56.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and basically spreading that through the environment.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:56.08,0:05:59.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You could do the same with a space spray.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:59.04,0:06:00.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is really unpleasant stuff,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:00.60,0:06:03.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and if it was any good, we wouldn't have this massive increase
Dialogue: 0,0:06:03.01,0:06:07.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in mosquitos and we wouldn't have this massive increase in dengue fever.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:07.66,0:06:09.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So it's not very effective, but it's probably
Dialogue: 0,0:06:09.75,0:06:12.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the best thing we've got at the moment.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:12.65,0:06:14.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Having said that, actually, your best form of protection
Dialogue: 0,0:06:14.80,0:06:17.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and my best form of protection is a long-sleeve shirt
Dialogue: 0,0:06:17.18,0:06:20.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and a little bit of DEET to go with it.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:20.61,0:06:24.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So let's start again. Let's design a product,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:24.30,0:06:27.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,right from the word go, and decide what we want.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:27.57,0:06:30.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well we clearly need something that is effective
Dialogue: 0,0:06:30.17,0:06:32.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,at reducing the mosquito population.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:32.48,0:06:34.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There's no point in just killing the odd mosquito here and there.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:34.91,0:06:38.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We want something that gets that population right the way down
Dialogue: 0,0:06:38.00,0:06:41.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so it can't get the disease transmission.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:41.02,0:06:44.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Clearly the product you've got has got to be safe to humans.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:44.32,0:06:46.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We are going to use it in and around humans.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:46.50,0:06:48.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It has to be safe.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:48.06,0:06:50.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We don't want to have a lasting impact on the environment.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:50.29,0:06:53.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We don't want to do anything that you can't undo.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:53.52,0:06:58.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Maybe a better product comes along in 20, 30 years.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:58.62,0:07:01.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Fine. We don't want a lasting environmental impact.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:01.49,0:07:04.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We want something that's relatively cheap, or cost-effective,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:04.76,0:07:06.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because there's an awful lot of countries involved,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:06.72,0:07:08.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and some of them are emerging markets,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:08.72,0:07:12.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,some of them emerging countries, low-income.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:12.28,0:07:14.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And finally, you want something that's species-specific.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:14.66,0:07:17.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You want to get rid of this mosquito that spreads dengue,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:17.45,0:07:20.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but you don't really want to get all the other insects.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:20.43,0:07:23.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Some are quite beneficial. Some are important to your ecosystem.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:23.65,0:07:25.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This one's not. It's invaded you.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:25.49,0:07:28.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But you don't want to get all of the insects.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:28.17,0:07:29.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You just want to get this one.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:29.83,0:07:32.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And most of the time, you'll find this insect
Dialogue: 0,0:07:32.69,0:07:34.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,lives in and around your home,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:34.12,0:07:38.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so this -- whatever we do has got to get to that insect.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:38.05,0:07:40.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's got to get into people's houses, into the bedrooms,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:40.43,0:07:42.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,into the kitchens.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:42.22,0:07:45.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now there are two features of mosquito biology
Dialogue: 0,0:07:45.87,0:07:47.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that really help us in this project,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:47.77,0:07:51.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and that is, firstly, males don't bite.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:51.64,0:07:54.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's only the female mosquito that will actually bite you.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:54.75,0:07:57.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The male can't bite you, won't bite you,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:57.15,0:07:59.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,doesn't have the mouth parts to bite you.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:59.45,0:08:01.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's just the female.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:01.11,0:08:03.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the second is a phenomenon
Dialogue: 0,0:08:03.09,0:08:07.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that males are very, very good at finding females.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:07.30,0:08:09.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If there's a male mosquito that you release,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:09.95,0:08:14.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and if there's a female around, that male will find the female.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:14.79,0:08:18.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So basically, we've used those two factors.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:18.61,0:08:20.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So here's a typical situation,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:20.28,0:08:22.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,male meets female, lots of offspring.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:22.85,0:08:24.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A single female will lay about
Dialogue: 0,0:08:24.58,0:08:26.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,up to 100 eggs at a time,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:26.37,0:08:28.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,up to about 500 in her lifetime.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:28.86,0:08:31.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now if that male is carrying a gene
Dialogue: 0,0:08:31.88,0:08:34.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which causes the death of the offspring,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:34.49,0:08:37.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,then the offspring don't survive,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:37.18,0:08:40.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and instead of having 500 mosquitos running around,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:40.61,0:08:43.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you have none.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:43.23,0:08:46.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And if you can put more, I'll call them sterile,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:46.35,0:08:49.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that the offspring will actually die at different stages,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:49.22,0:08:50.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but I'll call them sterile for now.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:50.81,0:08:54.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If you put more sterile males out into the environment,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:54.36,0:08:57.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,then the females are more likely to find a sterile male
Dialogue: 0,0:08:57.65,0:09:03.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,than a fertile one, and you will bring that population down.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:03.49,0:09:05.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So the males will go out, they'll look for females,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:05.89,0:09:09.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they'll mate. If they mate successfully, then no offspring.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:09.71,0:09:12.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If they don't find a female, then they'll die anyway.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:12.71,0:09:16.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They only live a few days.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:16.45,0:09:18.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that's exactly where we are.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:18.68,0:09:20.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So this is technology that was developed
Dialogue: 0,0:09:20.31,0:09:22.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in Oxford University a few years ago.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:22.86,0:09:25.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The company itself, Oxitec, we've been working
Dialogue: 0,0:09:25.28,0:09:27.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for the last 10 years, very much on a sort of similar
Dialogue: 0,0:09:27.83,0:09:31.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,development pathway that you'd get with a pharmaceutical company.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:31.28,0:09:35.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So about 10 years of internal evaluation, testing,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:35.38,0:09:38.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to get this to a state where we think it's actually ready.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:38.78,0:09:41.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And then we've gone out into the big outdoors,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:41.26,0:09:42.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,always with local community consent,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:42.86,0:09:45.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,always with the necessary permits.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:45.05,0:09:48.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So we've done field trials now in the Cayman Islands,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:48.11,0:09:49.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a small one in Malaysia,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:49.66,0:09:53.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and two more now in Brazil.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:53.99,0:09:55.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And what's the result?
Dialogue: 0,0:09:55.73,0:09:59.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, the result has been very good.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:59.04,0:10:01.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In about four months of release,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:01.86,0:10:04.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we've brought that population of mosquitos
Dialogue: 0,0:10:04.16,0:10:06.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,— in most cases we're dealing with villages here
Dialogue: 0,0:10:06.70,0:10:09.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of about 2,000, 3,000 people, that sort of size,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:09.97,0:10:11.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,starting small —
Dialogue: 0,0:10:11.41,0:10:13.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we've taken that mosquito population down
Dialogue: 0,0:10:13.60,0:10:16.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,by about 85 percent in about four months.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:16.82,0:10:18.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And in fact, the numbers after that get,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:18.82,0:10:22.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,those get very difficult to count, because there just aren't any left.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:22.56,0:10:24.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So that's been what we've seen in Cayman,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:24.22,0:10:27.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's been what we've seen in Brazil
Dialogue: 0,0:10:27.48,0:10:29.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in those trials.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:29.47,0:10:31.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And now what we're doing is we're going through a process
Dialogue: 0,0:10:31.78,0:10:34.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to scale up to a town of about 50,000,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:34.61,0:10:36.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so we can see this work at big scale.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:36.98,0:10:39.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And we've got a production unit in Oxford,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:39.77,0:10:43.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or just south of Oxford, where we actually produce these mosquitos.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:43.26,0:10:44.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We can produce them,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:44.47,0:10:46.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in a space a bit more than this red carpet,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:46.62,0:10:49.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I can produce about 20 million a week.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:49.15,0:10:51.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We can transport them around the world.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:51.31,0:10:54.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's not very expensive, because it's a coffee cup --
Dialogue: 0,0:10:54.33,0:10:55.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,something the size of a coffee cup
Dialogue: 0,0:10:55.62,0:10:58.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,will hold about three million eggs.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:58.95,0:11:02.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So freight costs aren't our biggest problem. (Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:11:02.77,0:11:06.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So we've got that. You could call it a mosquito factory.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:06.07,0:11:09.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And for Brazil, where we've been doing some trials,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:09.17,0:11:11.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the Brazilian government themselves have now built
Dialogue: 0,0:11:11.06,0:11:13.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,their own mosquito factory, far bigger than ours,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:13.49,0:11:18.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and we'll use that for scaling up in Brazil.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:18.96,0:11:21.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There you are. We've sent mosquito eggs.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:21.34,0:11:23.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We've separated the males from the females.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:23.97,0:11:27.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The males have been put in little pots
Dialogue: 0,0:11:27.62,0:11:29.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the truck is going down the road
Dialogue: 0,0:11:29.70,0:11:32.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and they are releasing males as they go.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:32.67,0:11:34.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's actually a little bit more precise than that.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:34.32,0:11:35.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You want to release them so that
Dialogue: 0,0:11:35.80,0:11:37.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you get good coverage of your area.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:37.88,0:11:40.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So you take a Google Map, you divide it up,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:40.67,0:11:42.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,work out how far they can fly,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:42.55,0:11:44.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and make sure you're releasing such that you get
Dialogue: 0,0:11:44.53,0:11:47.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,coverage of the area, and then you go back,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:47.43,0:11:49.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and within a very short space of time,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:49.20,0:11:52.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you're bringing that population right the way down.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:52.78,0:11:55.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We've also done this in agriculture.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:55.21,0:11:59.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We've got several different species of agriculture coming along,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:59.28,0:12:01.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I'm hoping that soon
Dialogue: 0,0:12:01.19,0:12:03.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we'll be able to get some funding together so we can get back
Dialogue: 0,0:12:03.98,0:12:07.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and start looking at malaria.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:07.07,0:12:09.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So that's where we stand at the moment,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:09.12,0:12:11.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I've just got a few final thoughts,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:11.64,0:12:15.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which is that this is another way in which biology
Dialogue: 0,0:12:15.09,0:12:19.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is now coming in to supplement chemistry
Dialogue: 0,0:12:19.08,0:12:22.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in some of our societal advances in this area,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:22.82,0:12:25.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and these biological approaches are coming in
Dialogue: 0,0:12:25.11,0:12:27.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in very different forms,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:27.51,0:12:29.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and when you think about genetic engineering,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:29.83,0:12:32.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we've now got enzymes for industrial processing,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:32.84,0:12:35.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,enzymes, genetically engineered enzymes in food.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:35.77,0:12:38.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We have G.M. crops, we have pharmaceuticals,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:38.57,0:12:39.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we have new vaccines,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:39.89,0:12:43.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,all using roughly the same technology, but with very different outcomes.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:43.97,0:12:47.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I'm in favor, actually. Of course I am.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:47.49,0:12:50.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'm in favor of particularly where the older technologies
Dialogue: 0,0:12:50.38,0:12:53.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,don't work well or have become unacceptable.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:53.45,0:12:56.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And although the techniques are similar,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:56.81,0:12:58.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the outcomes are very, very different,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:58.35,0:12:59.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and if you take our approach, for example,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:59.87,0:13:02.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and you compare it to, say, G.M. crops,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:02.29,0:13:06.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,both techniques are trying to produce a massive benefit.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:06.58,0:13:08.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Both have a side benefit,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:08.73,0:13:12.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which is that we reduce pesticide use tremendously.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:12.44,0:13:16.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But whereas a G.M. crop is trying to protect the plant,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:16.40,0:13:19.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for example, and give it an advantage,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:19.14,0:13:22.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,what we're actually doing is taking the mosquito
Dialogue: 0,0:13:22.24,0:13:26.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and giving it the biggest disadvantage it can possibly have,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:26.32,0:13:29.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,rendering it unable to reproduce effectively.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:29.31,0:13:32.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So for the mosquito, it's a dead end.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:32.91,0:13:36.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Thank you very much. (Applause)