The annual battle with mosquitoes is fully underway at our house. The only thing that keeps them at bay is burning mosquito coils. We have tried the recommended methods, citronella candles, citronella this and that, spraying mosquito repellent through a garden hose, an electronic contraption that is supposed to attract and suck in mosquitoes. We also remove all stagnant water to prevent breeding.

Nothing seems to work except burning a piece of plant material formed into a brittle coil, which by the way is not a very sophisticated technology. It is interesting to note that this is how we controlled mosquitoes in the 1970’s in Africa, along with an aerosol spray chillingly called “Doom”.

Our current crop of mosquitoes on Long Island is particularly devious. For some reason they are smaller and harder to see and they’ve toned down their whine so we can’t hear them coming.

There are thousands of brilliant scientists and engineers scattered over the globe and we are rapidly approaching the Singularity (hah!). Our vaunted big brains are capable of comprehending the multiverse and string theory.  Couldn’t they spare a little of their time to deal with these annoying , disease carrying flying needles?