Google wants to release 32 million sterile mosquitoes. Our Australian tests offer a valuable lesson | Nigel Beebe for the Conversation

Google's Debug' project in California and Florida aims to reduce mosquito numbers by releasing millions of sterilised males

In the United States, Google's (now Alphabet) Debug initiative has asked the federal government for permission to release up to 32 million sterilised male mosquitoes in California and Florida.

Male mosquitoes don't bite or carry disease. The hope is these millions of male mosquitoes will mate with disease-carrying females, the eggs won't hatch and mosquito numbers will fall.