Did Bill Gates Really Release Mosquitoes on a Crowd?

I’m still trying to make out whether this is an elaborate hoax or if Bill Gates has finally lost his mind, but numerous reports and tweets (including one from Evan Williams himself) indicate that he has just unleashed a bunch of mosquitoes on the crowd at the TED conference, saying something along the lines of "No reason that only poor people should get malaria…"

Yep. That’s what they’re saying.

The one thing that ties this to any sense of…well, sense, is that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has malaria prevention on its list of causes. Ok, I guess that’s the opposite of sense.

I’m going to go out on a limb here and assume that the mosquitoes are not really infected with disease, and Bill is showcasing more of his humorous side that we saw glimpses of in the Seinfeld windows ads. Of course, not everyone got his sense of humor then either.

If I’m wrong, and the mosquitoes are really infected, and Bill gates spread disease into a room full of people, then we won’t be laughing about this later. But for now, I’m going to stick with the theory that it is some kind of joke.

I can’t see a room full of people being bitten by mosquitoes being too amused though, even if they are disease free. Mosquito bites still itch. Frankly, I’m still having trouble believing I’m even writing about this.

There are 24 Comments. Add Yours.

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Gates
March 3, 2010 at 7:17 pm

Did gates really do this? I could not find more information on this

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Guest
March 19, 2009 at 8:10 pm

he released mosquitos, and said “there is no need only poor people have the experience ”
Of being bitten by mosquito, he never said the mosquitos were infected, or that all people should have experience with malaria. Do you think even Bill Gates would be allowed to releave malaria infected mosquitos into the room of people? And what would be the point?
What he did was really witty and fit well withing his talk. Good job!

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recovering deleted files
February 21, 2009 at 3:58 pm

Bill Gates has some balls, that is amazing and a wonderful lesson!

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Spokane daily web newspaper
February 10, 2009 at 12:38 am

It’s just a publicity stunt for his new operating system, codenamed Malaria. That’s why they call it “viral marketing”. LOL

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Toni Anicic
February 9, 2009 at 9:16 am

I just saw the video on TED.com. He did release the mosquitoes but he told them they were not infected right away and people were actually laughing with him.

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Unit Testing
February 9, 2009 at 8:32 am

in contrary to what people said in their comments, you can NOT get HIV (Aids) from a mosquito bite – guaranteed !

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stop balding
February 9, 2009 at 5:34 am

He did not do this. It is just an urban myth. People would be screaming lawsuit before the top was off the jar.

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Luis Ramalho
February 8, 2009 at 8:41 pm

The video is availabe at http://www.ted.com – he did release mosquitoes.. but they are, of course NOT infected with malaria!

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FaTe
February 8, 2009 at 7:35 pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tu72uMQkPs0

there where malaria free and personally I think these days shock tactics are the only true way to get through with campaigns we are too desensitised to warnings these days…

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Caroline Bogart
February 8, 2009 at 5:56 pm

The bugs DON’T have to be infected with something to be weapons.

A mosquito bite could have been a tipping point to further deterioration for anyone with rheumatoid arthritis, AIDS or another immune compromised position.

I find mosquito bites incredibly annoying. People with compromised immune systems really don’t have tolerance for yet another immune event like an allergic swelling.

The chances are at least one of the audience was trying to avoid mosquitoes as a guard against inflaming an existing disease.

Even ONE mosquito released is a disgusting act of astounding stupidity and arrogance.

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david
February 8, 2009 at 1:11 pm

i think if he did, good work, its something that has put the malaria issue center stage, think about if they were infected how much people panic, now consider millions of people have to live and sleep knowing that they can become infected at any point…

a few mozzie bites is nothing, spend a summer in the tropics and you will understand true pain..

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Brave Agent Pubeit
February 8, 2009 at 12:49 pm

As for releasing a lot of mosquitos in a room. If Bill only released male mosquitos, which don’t suck blood, then it’s fine. But if he released female ones, then he’s gone mad with power!

Also mosquitos can’t spread AIDS unless they’re full of AIDS blood and you swat them as they’re biting you. That is an AIDS myth. There’s other myths like people thinking you can get AIDS from swimming pools. A hotel called Habbo Hotel has constantly been having problems over that myth.

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Guest
February 8, 2009 at 12:29 pm

I don’t believe Bill Gates would do something like this. This sounds like some type of publicity stunt by someone else. If he did do this, then he needs to seek some serious help soon.

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  Guest
  February 8, 2009 at 1:31 pm
  
  You know, I’m getting a wee bit sick of seeing you constantly spamming us with your website. Back off, eh?
  
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Ricky C.
February 8, 2009 at 11:13 am

He surely has good sense of humour although i’d say that malaria would refer to something else like viruses

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Darren Tan
February 5, 2009 at 10:34 pm

It’s crazy to even think of that… It’s an act but brainless people.. So defnitely Bill Gates wouldn’t do that.. Could be another person of the same name…

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EarRings
February 5, 2009 at 6:25 pm

The stunt was just to make a point, no real mosquitoes there. Sort of viral, see all the commotion and how much it was talked about…

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EC.Biz
February 5, 2009 at 5:03 pm

There is no way Bill Gates Would resort to something that stupid.

This guy gives his money away through foundations why would he want to harm people.

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Jordan Ayan
February 5, 2009 at 2:45 pm

Please read my post http://budurl.com/tedkill . This simply is not true byt a rapidly spreading urban myth. There were a couple of mosquitoes – that’s all.

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zazacreative
February 5, 2009 at 12:57 pm

That would have been crazy for him to that that but then again what would have happened to bill gates if he had did it i mean he is the richest man in the world…

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david
February 5, 2009 at 12:49 pm

I have it from my boss who is there (sitting 20 ft away from BG) that there weren’t any mosquitoes in the jar.

It was indeed to make the malaria point, but the pun was on him when someone commented about how many bugs he has released over the years.

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  Chris Crum
  February 5, 2009 at 1:35 pm
  
  That’s interesting.
  
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Guest
February 5, 2009 at 12:06 pm

Mosquitoes can pass malaria, HIV & West Nile by biting an infected audience member and then someone else nearby. What of folks receiving chemo or with impaired immune systems? Gates is an arrogant berk. It was a childish, dangerous, mean-spirited stunt.

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Solopop
February 4, 2009 at 6:33 pm

It is just something to laugh about. I dont think he was in his right senses when he was making that speech lol