>yes.
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>>>The military is paying for this research (the benefits are obvious) but that means it's our tax dollars at work. In my opinion, a worthwhile cause. Could it eventually help with extreme problem of malaria around the world? Only if the chemicals are approved as safe for use (as DEET's approval was removed and since then malaria is worse than ever).
>>>
>>>http://www.fayobserver.com/article?id=294999
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>>Did you mean the increase in malaria since DDT's approval was removed?

I think it's worthwhile as long as:

- the resulting products can be produced cheaply and easily for the budgets of the developing world (think: no onerous patents)

- they can be successfully distributed there (think: no Burmese-style interference)

Of course, over time we'd just be selectively breeding mosquitoes that savour those repellents as we do a fine Bearnaise sauce.

Insect generations are so much shorter than the development cycle times of repellents, chemical insecticides etc. that ultimately the latter are bound to fail. We can only hope that in the short term they reduce insect populations and the incidence of related human diseases.

For the long term we need to develop predators or parasites that evolve as fast or faster than their prey/host insects or other vectors.

For the vast majority of human history, mankind has had an uneasy relationship with disease. Pandemics periodically wiped out a significant fraction of the world's population, and infectious diseases and parasites could render large areas virtually uninhabitable. It's only been in the last century or so that people in the developed world could reasonably expect to live their lives free of major disease threats.

It can be argued that we've already made all the easy "wins" against disease, and that we're barely keeping the lid on superbugs, whether microbial or otherwise. Maintaining this state of affairs will take increasing effort. If an uncontrolled outbreak or pandemic occurred in the developed world, it would have an effect on the global economy and worldwide standard of living second only to a major asteroid strike.